"Superstition"

 "The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away." (John 19:31 KJV)

  "I said, "Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong, but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil. You skin my people alive and tear the flesh from their bones. Yes, you eat my people's flesh, strip off their skin, and break their bones. You chop them up like meat for the cooking pot. Then you beg the LORD for help in times of trouble! Do you really expect him to answer? After all the evil you have done, he won't even look at you!"" (Micah 3:1-4 NLT) 

 There are a few things here that have a special character behind them, without naming any names, let's just say that there was a plot to try and stop a certain prophecy from happening, the one that said that none of His bones would be broke! Without getting too carried away, my first thought about this, is that Jesus knew in advance that this plot was going to happen; therefore, He hastened His own death when He bowed His head and surrendered His Spirit. 

 The other thing that is taking place, is that of superstition, something else that unnamed character loves to put in the air, making unsuspecting minds think in half-belief; which is a practice for which there appears to be no rational substance. Much like a curse, as if there would be such a thing as that, if these bodies were to hang there during the Sabbath. 

 Do you think there might have been a curse? I have to admit, I really kind of wondered about the brazen serpent that God told Moses to make and lift up on that pole; how it was that the thing that had bitten the children of Israel, would be the thing to represent the healing! 

 First things first, the devil is not a serpent, just as much as he is not a roaring lion! The serpent was the result of revolting against God! The children of Israel revolted against God, and it was God that sent those serpents in to make them realize what they had done. If anything, the serpents represented death, which is the result of sin! 

 From which, that death is the result of sin, is not a superstition, it is real and substantially true! The penalty for sin is death, no if ands or buts; the whole reason Jesus was hanging on that cross was to be put to death for our sins! And guess who was behind having Him nailed to the cross! Talk about not paying attention to train coming down the tracks! 

  There was a very real curse that had just been broken! If you think that you can somehow overrule God, you really aren't that smart after all...

"So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessings Abraham received because of his faith. But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, "Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God's Book of the Law." So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, "It is through obeying the law that a person has life." But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung upon the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believer might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:9-14 NLT) 

"Care of the Body of Jesus"

 "It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn't want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn't break his legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe.) These things happened in fulfillment of Scriptures that say, "Not one of his bones will be broken," and "They will look on the one they pierced."" (John 19:31-37 NLT)

  "I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." (Isaiah 42:6-7 KJV)

 Hopefully everyone is doing well, because I believe that we might be in for another dark cloud covering over the nations. Regardless of what is put forth or portrayed, there is a spiritual battle that is going on, as the time is drawing near, the closer we get, the harder it will be to pay close attention. 

 Forget about the things that you see and focus upon the Lord! I let my guard down, due to illness, when I should have been paying attention the what the Lord told me to do, not the way that I might have been feeling! Don't let anything stop you from standing your ground! 

 By the way, please remember to read your Bible out loud to yourself; slowly and accurate to your family; and by all means, read with authority... 

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:10-13 KJV) 

"Paid In Full!"

 "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (John 19:30 KJV)

  "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26 NLT)

 In a nutshell, this bowing of the head, was an Amen! While others would lift their heads up, gasping for one more breath, with no such luck, they would die and then heads would drop. Jesus, have completed what He came to do, bowed His head, as if the curtain was closing, and gave up His life. 

 We know from the other Gospel's that there were several things that took place right after Jesus died; some of which have been researched as fact, as recorded in history records. The body of Christ was now just an empty vessel; Jesus was paying a visit to all those waiting in Paradise; some of them, with their cards maxed out, waiting for the chance to get their debts paid off! 

 There are various ways I have heard this story go, but the best way I see it happening, was Jesus teaching and showing them all the lines between those dots. For three days, Jesus hung out with all of those Old Testament Saints; telling them about heaven and all of the houses waiting for them there, when He enters His glory. 

 Yes, it might seem hard to believe, but it isn't hard to receive! That says, When you believe it, and receive it as the truth, then you really believe it, because you know it is the truth, and it makes you a new person! If there is anything that makes you fall away, it was most likely there all along, and you never really truly believed you received new life. 

 I know that I will get some kicks for that, some people feel differently, but I am just being truthful. We only really hold onto the sins we like; but sooner or later we must make ourselves believe: It is the righteousness of Christ Jesus that has given me new life, not anything to do with my righteousness! 

 I have determined that I will probably sin, up to that time when I bow my head and die; but in the meantime, I will do my very best to endure; for whatever that's worth...

"We do this be keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin." (Hebrews 12:2-4 NLT)  

"Hodgepodge"

 "Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth." (John 19:29 KJV)

  "For I was born a sinner - yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:5-7 NLT)

 Just for the record, these last few days have been brutal, as I have been sick, caring for a sick wife, and trying the best I can to stay in bed. As I laid in bed yesterday, I was thinking about this verse, the vinegar, the sponge, and the hyssop; actually, the hyssop keep going in and out of almost every aspect of my thinking, I couldn't keep track of all the uses it kept showing me. Think of it as a coarse paint brush, with a two-foot handle. 

 Thinking back, much of what I believed before my salvation, was pretty much a mix-batch of so many different things I had picked up over the years that I held onto; some of which, were immediately taken away at the moment Jesus came into my life. I say this because the Old Testament Saints were also such; they had little bits and pieces, with some understanding, but giant holes they sometimes filled with whatever seemed to fit, as long as it made them see God better. 

 Regarding the hyssop, it was used to brush the blood on the doorframes, the night of the First Passover. After the Temple was constructed, it was used for ritual sprinklings. As to the sour wine, Jesus refused it before, and He didn't drink when it touched His lips; the main reason He said what He said, was because it had to be said! 

 Don't you think that is interesting? God says that this or that will happen, and just in the right moment, He makes things happen, in just the right time. John has quite a few of these instances where he points out the prophecy, and then shows how in happens, just as it said it would happen. 

 By the way, I heard something said during the Thanksgiving gathering, which I guess is something that they currently teach in college. The main just of the matter was that little children have to be shown how to lie, because they start out thinking that their parents know everything, so they start off telling the truth, because they have no other option. 

 Well, truth be told, as a new believer I had to train myself to sin again; it really wasn't hard, but it was not something that I could not think about. Sooner or later, we will be faced with the question, it is best that we are truthful and don't try to lie; because unlike our earthly parents, our Heavenly Father knows not only what we do, but what we think! 

 Something else that caught my attention, in all of that garbled stuff going through my mind; the reason for the sacrifices were not really for taking away sins, but that those who sacrifice would acknowledge they sinned, and needed to be cleansed. God wants honesty, more than sacrifice... 

"You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God." (Psalm 51:16-17 NLT)

 

("I Thirst") - Too

 "After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst." (John 19:28 KJV)

  "When he finished his boasting, he threw away the jawbone; and the place was named Jawbone Hill. Samson was now very thirsty, and he cried out to the LORD, "You have accomplished this great victory by the strength of your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of these pagans?" So God caused water to gush out of the hollow in the at Lehi, and Samson was revived as he drank. Then he named that place "The Spring of the One Who Cried Out," and it is still in Lehi to this day." (Judges 15:17-19 NLT)

 Well, I feel a little better; at least I can sit up and see what it is that I am doing. It is my wife that needs to be cared for; something that I feel I am best at, regardless of what those who think they know what to do, I know that God's will is mightier that man's wisdom and efforts. 

 On the point about the Old Testament Saints; they had seen fulfilled prophecy for thousands of years, many of which were fulfilled in the years of the one given the prophecy. Oddly enough, they had faith that was stronger than us, the ones who are looking back at the cross. What were they looking at? Prophecy! That which was to come, based upon God's promises that it would all happen, just as He promised. 

 Here is the connection for the 'card' illustration. Those who have their sins placed upon what is to come, have cumulated debt; their sins are gathered up for that day when Jesus Christ will pay them all off. Just that alone makes their faith stronger, and gives them something to long for, believing it will happen, just as God promised.

 We that have been alive after the cross, our sins our forgiven, the righteousness we now enjoy is already given, stored up and given to us by God's grace. There is something about being given something that you do not deserve, you tend to feel intitled, as if you can do anything you want. But we are living by a totally different standard: the faith that we have is challenged by that which we do or don't do; the faith of those of old, was completely dependent upon God.

 Have you ever shared Jesus with someone, and felt as though you had the Spirit of God flowing out of you; only to walk away feeling drained, and thirsty? That is really not uncommon, so don't allow it to challenge your faith, just get back up and do it again...      

"He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those that fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." (Psalm 103:10-12 NLT)   

"I Thirst"

 "After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst." (John 19:28 KJV)

  "When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins." (Isaiah 53:11 NLT)

 When we accept Jesus into our hearts, we are given a new life, all things have become new; our life is now looking forward to the day we will be with our Savior in heaven. Prior to Jesus being crucified, all of those that looked for this Salvation, even though it had not happened yet, they believed that it would, and they too looked forward to being with the Lord in heaven. 

 The big difference is that they were looking forward to His coming salvation; while we look back upon what He has done. What a huge difference between the two; one is rather thirsty, longing for that which is to come; the other has living water running through them, because the task is already done. 

 Forgive me for ending this so shortly, Marianne has been sick all night, and I hardly feel much better...

"O God, you are my God, I will earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water." (PSALM 63:1 NLT)

"The Death of Jesus"

  "Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, "I am thirsty," A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and released his spirit." (John 19:28-30 NLT)

  ""Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."" (ISAIAH 55:6-7 KJV)

 A few days after I got saved, I felt the need to make a Crossword puzzle about Jesus. It had the questions for across words referencing the New Testament Scriptures, and the questions for the down words about Old Testament Scriptures. In the middle of the whole page, were empty boxes in the shape of a cross, and I believe I might have had 'JESUS' spelled out in those empty boxes as well. 

 It was mostly for me, as it was a project I felt would be good for me to fortify the Good News that I had received, concerning Jesus Christ, who He was, and why it was so important that we understood what a powerful sacrifice God made! If memory serves, it took me at least two weeks to finish the project, but I didn't stop there, because for the rest of my time being locked up, I shared everything I could, with anyone that would listen. 

 For this portion of Scripture, I think we will take a closer look at the death of Jesus, from the 'credit card' point of view. If you don't understand what that means, it is based upon those believers who died prior to the death of Jesus, the Old Testament Saints. These were those that looked forward to salvation, which is like placing their faith in Jesus, who was to come. 

 We who have been born after the death of Jesus, we have a 'debit card' kind of salvation, where the card is stored up with a gracious amount of forgiveness; while the 'credit card' is where forgiveness is spent, for the delt to be paid off in the future.  

 Anywho, either one will do, because Jesus paid for it all...

""Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!"" (ISAIAH 55:1 BSB) 

"The Son to a Brother!"

"Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." (John 19:27 KJV)

  "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. 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," (Romans 8:28-29 NLT)

 Here is the thing, regardless of the mess, circumstance, or impossible odds, God has the ability to make all things wonderful and complete! Even if we don't think it will work out, when it looks like it will never get fixed, and you feel like you're at the end of your rope, God can do abundantly more than you could have ever imagined! 

 There are so many different ways to see this, most of which require a heart that has surrendered, saying, 'I tried to do it my way, but my way doesn't work; please take control of my life!' Hopefully you see the point, as simple as it might sound, we continually fight to hold onto the things we love, hoping God will bend a little. 

 Unfortunately! He can down to our level once and for all! Now, we must go to His level, because He has made the way for us to do it! 'Thank you, Jesus! You have not only given me new life, but you have made me a child of God! I have a multitude of brothers and sisters, too many to count; what glory awaits me, because I belong to the Family of God!'

 Nothing about this life here on earth can change that! We must believe and take hold of that, no matter what! You might say, 'But I really screwed up my life, there is no way God will forgive me!' You have no idea what you are trying to say; because He took everything under submission on that cross; there is nothing you can do, that He did not give His life for; absolutely nothing! 

 When He judges this world, those that have accepted His free offer of forgiveness, will not be listed among those who have sinned, no matter what that sin was, it has been removed, and you will have been made, as white as snow! If you do not receive His free offer to be forgiven, there will be no excuse, because there is no reason! 

 About this disciple, we should all be in agreement that the disciple is John; so, we can also understand the friendship that was between Jesus and him. I am pretty sure that Jesus loved His mother, very much; even though He might have said some things to make her common, there was still a bond that could not have been broken. 

 Though she had other sons, and daughters, I believe that Jesus knew John would care for her the most, as well as the longest. There is really nothing that God overlooks, everything is a concern for God when it comes to our needs; our wants, that is an entirely different subject...

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39 NLT) 

"A Son to a Mother"

 "When Jesus therefore saw his mother and disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!" (John 19:26 KJV)

  "I lift me eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven. We keep looking up is the LORD our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal. Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt. We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant." (PSALM 123 NLT)

 Not quite sure about that word, 'Amazed,' because it bothered me most of the day how it was that I was able to place that word into that situation. I guess it could have been the sight I imagined; how Mary felt as she stood there, her soul being pierced, her heart broken, and her mind overwhelmed by the image she saw of her son, the Son of the Living God! 

 There was only one way for her to be able to hold her composure, to be able to stand there, upright, without throwing herself upon the ground; and that way was simple, but extremely complex. With all that she knew, with her faith fixed upon the Eternal Living God, she gave it all to God! That is all she could do, what she had to do; this was no longer her child, but the Son of the God! 

 When you look at it from that point of view, you see something that is extremely amazing and hard to comprehend; you see that God's love knows no bounds! That was His one and only Son, that was hanging upon that cross; beaten and nailed to those beams, an offering for the sins of the world, to save everyone from their sins. What was a mother to do? 

 As you know, Jesus knows our thoughts; He knew the thoughts Mary was thinking, that her heart was breaking! What's a son to do? Comfort her...

"Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross." (Philippians 2:4-8 NLT)

"A Pierced Soul"

 "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene." (John 19:25 KJV)

  "Simon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, "Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!"" (Luke 2:28-32 NLT)

 There are some things we go through in this life that leave a scar, a very vivid image, that will never really go away, no matter how hard we try, it stays as clear as the day we first looked at it. I recall the moment I was with my son, as he laid there in that hospital bed, already dead, but still hooked up to the monitor that was on the wall. When the monitor started acting up, I asked the nurse, "What's up with that thing?" He just unplugged it, and said, "Don't worry about that, it doesn't matter!" 

 At that exact moment, I had been hanging onto my son, as was his grandmother, and it became clear to me that he had already passed! For twenty minutes we had been standing around him, holding on to his hands, telling him we loved him, and hoping for some sort of sign; while he laid there, an empty vessel! As I realized what was happening, I asked the nurse, "Is he dead?" He replied, "Most likely," as if it was absolutely a normal situation.  

 That was some weird experience, to say the least; but it convinced me how much I will never trust any hospitals again, ever! Worse than that, a nurse who worked there and was a J.W., who's house I had inspected several weeks before, came up to me as we were leaving, and said, "Welcome to my house!" And then she walked off with a grin on her face. 

 I felt rather angry, but I gave everything to the Lord and worked on getting funeral arrangements, almost immediately. I had been planning on getting some plots for Marianne and myself, when suddenly my son needed one first. It was well with my soul! As much as I felt hurt, my pain was not unbearable or making me upset or angry; just the opposite, it motivated me to get things done! 

 And then, after having a very wonderful funeral service, we all headed out to the Cemetary to have a small graveside service. I was driving the Motorhome, as I had my wife and her nurse inside; it was going to be a very long day, so she was going to need to be changed and out of her chair for a while. Eight hours in the chair is not very good for her, so, from the grave site to the place where we were having the celebration of life, she was able to stretch out and rest.  

 When I pulled into the cemetery, Tim, the grounds keeper was standing by the gravesite with his hands on his hips. I thought maybe we were late, but we really weren't. Then the hurst made its way out to the site, and the funeral director got out, greeted Tim, and then joined him; both of them looking at me, with their hands on their hips.  

 I unloaded Marianne and made my way out to them, curious about what might be going on. As soon as I arrived, they pulled me to the side and I was informed that they could not get the permit, because they still did not have a death certificate. So, I told them we would have the graveside service as planned; and after all the guests had headed out to where we were going next, they could just put him back in the hurst and take him back to the funeral parlor.   

 As it was, the death certificate had not been issued because of the determined time of death was in dispute; not by me, but between the physicians and the nurses. When I saw the actual death certificate, the time of death was determined to be: "Noon". Wow, really! Very suspicious, to say the least. But it is what it is, because he really isn't dead, he is with the Lord! 

This might be a little off the radar, but you need to know, Mary was hurting for her son! This is hard to grasp, to see the child that she raised, there in a very battered state, hanging upon that cross! It wasn't like she didn't expect it to happen, because she was well aware of what He had been saying, and how He would be killed. But she also knew who He was, and what He came for, and believed in what He said! 

 All these things were tucked inside of her heart, as she gazed up at Him, she was amazed! As Matthew Henry puts it: "We know not what we can bear till we are tried, and then we who has said, My grace is sufficient for thee." We endure, because He endured that cross...

"Jesus' parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby's mother, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul."" (Luke 2:33-35 NLT)

"Crapshoot"

 "They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did." (John 19:24 KJV)

  ""Listen to me, O family of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and born into the family of Judah. Listen, you who take oaths in the name of the LORD and call on the God of Israel. You don't keep your promises, even though you call yourself the holy city and talk about depending upon the God of Israel, whose name is the LORD of Heaven's Armies. Long ago I told you what was going to happen. Then suddenly I took action, and all my predictions came true. For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are. Your necks are as unbending as iron. Your heads are as hard as bronze. That is why I told you what would happen; I told you beforehand what I was going to do. Then you could never say, 'My idols did it. My wooden image and metal god commanded it to happen!' You have heard my predictions and seen them fulfilled, but you refuse to admit it. Now I will tell you new things, secrets you have not yet heard. They are brand new, not things from the past. So you cannot say, 'We knew that all the time!'"" (Isaiah 48:1-7 NLT) 

 Have you ever wondered why these soldiers were parting His clothes and casting dice for His robe? As it is, they had most likely heard about all of the things Jesus had done, healing the blind, the lame, and the lepers, casting out demons, and raising the dead. They might have even heard about how a woman was healed, by simply touching His garment. 

 If you really want to understand what was happening, you must put yourself in that place, and imagine if it had been you; what would you have done, and why. What would cause someone to think that they could obtain something special, having just taken part in nailing the Man to a cross, and then all four of you lifted Him up, and secured His cross into the ground! Do you deserve any favors? 

 Sometimes we just don't think things through! Is there really any difference between what these soldiers did, and what we might do, as we call out to God for help, but at the same time, think He doesn't care when we sin against Him? Oh, He knows! He sees everything and we are only fooling ourselves when we think, 'If I don't bother Him now, He won't pay any attention.' 

 That said, we must make every effort to be holy as that is our reasonable service! However, if we are honest, walking in the Spirit, has its ups and downs. Sometimes we are on the right road, and then we veer off, taking a little path of our own; having no clue what we are doing, until we finally realize, 'This thing that I am doing is wrong!' 

 When we have that happen, it is then that we must repent! There is a reason we realize it is wrong, because the Spirit within us says so, so we need to listen and change our direction, ASAP! Not doing so, make us like these soldiers! Having the knowledge of what God can do, but not understanding what He is able to do, to you! 

 Then again, He is deeply in love with us, so whatever it might be, it will be for our own good, we just might not like it! Again, look at Samson, he is a pretty good example...

 "This is what the LORD says - your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sands along the seashore - too many to count! There would have been no need for your destruction, or for cutting off your family name."" (Isaiah 48:17-19 NLT) 

"Part and Parcel"

 "Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout." (John 19:23 KJV)

  "My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing." (Psalm 22:16-18 NLT)

 Before I get started on this, there is something else that I need to add, which involves Samson, who is listed in The Hall of Faith. Not that it matters, but I actually believe it does, but Samson believed in and trusted God, yet he lived as if he did not follow God's instructions. Not that it means anything, but it is just one more example of believing God's love is real, has more value to it, than we might think. 

 Now, an article of clothing is mentioned here, which did not have seams, meaning that it was woven from the top to the bottom. In other words, it was some sort of a vestment, such as worn by priests, or a judge, which is worn over the outer clothing, and slips over the head, and drapes down past the knees. Oddly enough, the high priest was told to wear this sort of garment, as to protect his private areas from being seen, as he went up the stairs to offer a sacrifice. 

 Not sure how that coincides with what is happening here, as Jesus is exposed upon the cross, but I can only assume that there is some sort of connection. There is this thing that people refer to a shame! It is like being exposed when you are doing something naughty or found dressing in something that you shouldn't be wearing; or found running around naked in the woods, which is really quiet embarrassing, to say the least. 

 For the record! Jesus covers all your sins, even those that were done in secret! I have always imagined God looking down on me, saying, "What are you doing Richard?" As if He doesn't know, but He does know; He is just trying to get me to realize how foolish I am being, making me feel ashamed and feel bad for what I am doing. 

 I think we can all assume that boredom leads to more than we might have expected to do or discover; it is best to stay busy and remember that God is always watching you! That much you can count on...

"How the king rejoices in your strength, O LORD! He shouts with joy because you gave him victory. For you have given him his heart's desire; you have withheld nothing he requested. [Interlude] You welcomed him back with success and prosperity. You placed a crown of finest gold on his head. He asked you to preserve his life, and you granted his request. The days of his life stretch on forever. Your victory brings him great honor, and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty. You have endowed him with eternal blessings and given him the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the LORD. The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling." (Psalm 21:1-7 NLT)  

"For The Record"

 "Pilate answered, What I have written I have written." (John 19:22 KJV)

  "Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon." (Psalm 76:10 NLT)

 If there is one thing I have learned to understand, over these last four decades of walking with the Lord, it is to not forget to ask God to forgive me; no matter how often I might stumble or fall, He will never cast me out or abandon me! This is something I have had to accept as His promise, not mine; when I make a promise, it is at best, a maybe; but when God makes a promise, it is Yes and Amen! 

 I hope you can see the point that I am making, because He chose you, knowing full well what you are and how many times you would mess up; nothing we do will surprise Him! But He surprises us, over and over, dusting us off, and sending us out again; giving us another chance, yet already knowing we will do something wrong again. 

 His love is not determined by the things we do, but by the ways we count on Him to get us through; trusting in Him, believing in His promises, and living out this life, knowing that we will end up in His presence! That is what Faith means, it is based upon Him and His promises towards us, not that we have anything to give Him, accept to just believe that He loves us, more than anything we know, He loves us! 

 If I seem to be optimistic, it is only because I believe in what the Bible says, and that none of us are worthy on our own! Everyone needs to be washed by the blood of Jesus, Everyone! Romans 3:23 -24 says: For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins." 

 There is something else I feel needs to be examined, hopefully I will not mess it up! If you look at the verse from Psalm 76, it shows us something that I believe must be understood, without trying to boast or think about getting away with something. The weapons used by God are for His glory; all things work towards His plans and purposes. 

 There is this thing called evil, which is not of God, but is no doubt present and will eventually be put under control. It was said by Jesus, in Matthew 25:41, that hell was created for the devil his angels; so, it is likely to understand, that anyone who might be cast into hell, is because they have aliened themself with the devil, rejecting God's free gift of salvation. 

 Therefore, we who are alive, as long as we have breath, we will most likely defy God in one way or another; whether it is by doing something we shouldn't do or not doing what we should do. But as long as we have breath in our lungs, we have hope! This hope is not based upon that which we do or do not do, but is based upon what Christ has done for us: and that, my friend, is a Mighty Weapon...

 ""O LORD of Heaven's Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, 'I will build a house for you - a dynasty of kings! For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign LORD, it is an eternal blessing!"" (2 Samuel 7:27-29 NLT)   

"Divine Insurrection"

 "Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews." (John 19:21 KJV) 

  "For the LORD declares, "I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain." The king proclaims the LORD'S decree: "The LORD said to me, 'You are my son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.'"" (Psalm 2:6-9 NLT)

 For the record, Jesus, Himself never did say that He was, 'King of the Jews,' but He did say He was a King! THE KING OF HEAVEN! Just imagine for a moment what we are talking about, because there are so many that put Jesus in a class, just slightly above a prophet or a teacher, as if what He did by dying on the cross was slightly better than the offering of a lamb or bull; that God still requires more, because His death did not eliminate our sins, but only covered them! 

 I really don't want to get into that right now; but it will be the topic for another day, no pun intended! But, I will say one thing: On judgment day, there will be books that are opened, which show the sins of all people, both those done out in open, and those that are done in secret. However! There we be another book that will be opened, The Lamb's Book of Life; anyone written in that Book, is not included in those other books; whether they are skimmed over or just not listed, that doesn't matter! Because whatever it might say, has been put upon Christ Jesus, and has been taken off of us!  

 Besides, Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:7, "So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness towards us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." If you think about what that implies, I have a feeling that it means, 'The misfit toys are no longer misfits, but are Saints!' 

 I went to catch the movie, "Journey to Bethlehem", yesterday; what a wonderful movie to experience! I have read some reviews, and it appears that some people are not that impressed with the movie, and think they took too much liberty in some of the characters attitudes and personalities. Let's get real! People were the same back then as they are now, they only lacked social media, electricity, and cars! 

 By the way, I had another talk with a friend of mine about my heart's passion to tell godly men how to love their wives, and what they can expect from doing so. My friend reminded me again, as always, "Women can sin too!" And then he continued to prove that statement by showing me how Bathsheba put herself out there for David. 

 Fair point; but! David tried to get Uriah to go sleep with his wife several times; and he refused to do so, because it wasn't fair to his fellow soldiers out on the battlefield. What does that say about the love relationship between Uriah and Bathsheba? Do you think maybe she was feeling a little bit unloved? 

 I am just saying, and I will say it again: If your wife loved and adored you when you married her, and now she loves you less; it is your fault! If you don't think it is true, you don't know your wife's desire to be cared for, is stronger than your desire to care for her...

"And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. For wives, this means to submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body. As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one."" (Ephesians 5:21-31 NLT) 

"For All to See!"

"This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin." (John 19:20 KJV) 

""Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed."" (Revelation 16:15 NLT)

  If you thought yesterday was a little off, you are not alone! There are so many things that connect to what was being said, my mind was swirling with things to talk about; as it was, it really was about the easy way people will be drawn to worship idols, even if the idol that they worship might be an image or statue of Jesus; that too would be an idol! 

 It was strange the news declared that a statue of Mary wept, and her eyes turned red; at least that's what I heard was declared, but there were not videos or pictures presented to verify that it had happened. When I was in that jail facility, I would also attend the Catholic services, once or twice, on Saturday's. But, it didn't take too many visits to understand that most of the men worshiped Mary above Jesus, as they called her, the mother of God. That just didn't sit right with me, so I quit going to the Catholic services. 

 Believe it or not, but we must be cautious to the things we worship, because it is really easy to be taken in by something, making whatever, just about anything, be more important than God! First and foremost, Christ Jesus must be first in our lives, above your spouse, your children, your job, even, dare I say, your church! 

 If you belong to a church that wants to erect a statue of something, placed in the sanctuary, and it is worshipped; run! Get out of their and find a place where the only thing presented and lifted up is the Bible being taught as the Word of God. And even then, we still do not worship a Bible! Yes, it is the written word of God, but we still don't worship a book, we worship the Author! 

 Anywho! Whatever that might count towards, we must be ready! Ready means that you have clothing that dresses you in righteousness when He comes! Where do you get those clothes? By being washed in the blood of Christ! You stay ready by being washed and clothed in His righteousness! Which then leads me to one of the things we get tripped up on, especially when we serve the Lord: Works! 

 Yes! Works too are made into idols; more than that, we find them hard to walk away from, especially when it comes to commitment and sacrifice. Take this blog, for example: it could be an idol, if it is something that I look towards for purification or cleansing; or even if it is something that I feel draws me closer to God. 

 Jesus must be First! No matter what we are involved in, ministry or not, Jesus is the Foundation on which everything must be built; and that Foundation must remain the Firm Foundation, that never changes! I hope that makes some sort of sense, because I seriously think we are getting close...

 "We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts." (1 John 5:19-21 NLT) 

 

"The Announcement"

 "And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS." (John 19:19 KJV) 

  "The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. For royal power belongs to the LORD. He rules all the nations." (Psalm 22:27-28 NLT)

 There is something important about the sign that Pilate placed upon the cross: It was intended for the whole world to read and understand what it said! We cannot imagine the power that was on display, that one Man should die for the sins of the whole entire world! That should tell you something: He was note just a Man, He was God! 

 We have had this discussion before, because the whole reason that God, and He alone, was the perfect sacrifice, is because only God is perfect and without any sin! No blemish, no imperfections, nothing to cause Him not to be the perfect sacrifice, to completely satisfy the removal of sin, from the entire world! 

 How amazing is that? We look at the world and wonder, why there is still evil, sinfulness, and wars? But in this current world, not everyone has or will accept God's free offer of salvation. Although the sins of the entire world were paid for, the entire world has not asked for forgiveness! 

 You can see this proven by the two thieves that were crucified along with Jesus; one refused to ask for forgiveness, the other refused to not ask for forgiveness! Big difference! With one, there is the heart of stone, which in spite of certain death, there is no thought or concern to be made right with God, as that would be against their nature. I know it sounds stupid, but stupid people do stupid things! 

 On the other hand, the one that sees a great need to be forgiven, will not ignore that invitation; it will be as important as the air they breathe, even if the ability to breathe doesn't come easy, with their dying breath they will cry out, "Save me, LORD!" Remember that, because it will count...

 "This is what the LORD says - Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD of Heaven's Armies: "I am the First and the Last; there is no other God. Who is like me? Let him step forward and prove to you his power. Let him do as I have done since ancient times when I established a people and explained its future. Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses - is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock - not one!"" (Isaiah 44:6-8 NLT) 

"Jesus Lifted Up" - Too

 "Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst." (John 19:18 KJV) 

"This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, "It is through obeying the law that a person has life." But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:12-14 NLT)

 For about the hundredth time, I will try to show what it was that changed my life, so many years ago. If you have heard it before, I hope I don't bore you; but it is something I think relates to this moment, as we think about what this one thief might have experienced, hanging next to Jesus.  

 For ten years I walked this earth with a distain for religion; not for God, because I believed that God was real and felt as if I had some kind of a connection with Him; but I felt that the religions of this world were corrupt and only wanted to hold people captive, mostly to receive their money. When I was sent away to serve my time, I was placed in a facility that actually had a church, and real church, with a bell and all that you would expect to see in a small-town church, like the one you would see in the middle of town. 

 Long-story short, I never went into the church, but would sit outside in a field about 100 feet or so away, usually at night, while they were having service. One night I found myself praying for those men inside, as if they were being tricked or sucked into some sort of religion. Having come from such a strange religion, at the age of twelve or so, I really didn't think there was any difference between those in there and those who I knew back then. 

 Not too long after I started to pray, I found myself weeping, thinking that I was weeping for them as if I was feeling sorry for them, that they were being taken into something that would hold them captive. Man, O man, did I ever get that wrong! I found out later that I was weeping for myself! 

 A few weeks later I had an incident that caused them to send me away to another facility, one that did not have a church. One Sunday morning, as I was laying on my bunk, hoping to relax, I heard the voice of a very old Chaplin, saying, "We have a very special group here today that wants to share something with you men; come on down and hear what they have to say." He sounded as if he was speaking with his dying breath, and I felt as though I needed to go, like, right away! 

 As I walked into the door of the cafeteria, they were already singing worship songs, so I moved in to sit in the back and be unnoticed. After the worship was over, a black man stepped up to a podium and took off his watch. He said, "Men, do you see this watch? This watch tells me that there is a Watch Maker out there somewhere that made this watch. And you, me, and all that we see, tells me that there is a Creator, that made all of this! And I am here today to tell you, That Creator is Jesus Christ!"   

 Immediately, I closed my eyes in wonder, seeing a vision of Jesus Christ hanging on the cross, my stoney heart was broken! Just like that, I believed that the Creator of heaven and earth hung on a cross to be a sacrifice for my sins, and I was broken! How could this be, I wondered; that God would die such a brutal death for me! 

 After he shared several Scriptures that show the Jesus created everything, and holds all this together, he asked for us to all bow our heads and pray. And then he asked for anyone that wanted to be saved, to raise their hand; I raised both hands, at once, just because I was so excited to be saved! 

 It wasn't much longer, and I was sent back to the other facility that had the church. Anytime that there was a service, I was there! I even had the privilege of ringing the bell, letting all know that church was about to begin. Fellowship was what I needed, as if there was something that was flowing through my veins, and it needed to flow out! The more I fellowshipped the more I felt the Spirit flowing through me! 

 One day I was sent to the main L.A. jail to attend an early release hearing. When I came into the room, I saw my wife and my employer were there, as support. The three-person panel was seated at the front of the room, and no sooner as I sat down, I was instructed to stand up, as the middle person said, "You have been declined!" I immediately raised my hands, and exclaimed, "Praise the LORD!" 

 Both my wife and my boss looked at each other and then looked at me, as I was taken back to the door, to be sent back from where I came. Later that night I was able to speak with my wife, as she was very concerned about my enthusiasm to remain in jail. I assured her that I really did want to be home, but if God has me here, He has a reason. 

 I shared some of the things that were going on, and just kept assuring her, that with her is where I wanted to be, but God has something He is doing in me, and I need to be wherever He has me. I did finally get the early release and made sure that I got into church as soon as I could.  

 We must stay in fellowship with one another! Do not try to be a loner, as if you are too good or too bad for any other's; we must be connected Members of the Body of Christ...

""Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money! Come, take you choice wine or milk - it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food." (Isaiah 55:1-2 NLT) 

"Jesus Lifted Up"

 "Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst." (John 19:18 KJV)

  "But it was the LORD'S good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD's good plan will prosper in his hands." When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels." (Isaiah 53:10-12 NLT)

 'Please don't worry about me!', is what I believe Jesus said to those He loved and cared about; in not those exact words, He had shown them, several times, what would happen, and that He would rise up again! To those that heard, He really didn't make much sense; they totally missed the connection between dying and then being raised from the grave. You would think that Him raising Lazaras would have given them some sort of clue, but they didn't really connect the dots. 

 As to these others, one on His right, the other on His left; both of them were thieves, being crucified beside Him. One would be saved, the other would not! Sadly, both had the same opportunity handed to them, but only one could see his need to call out for salvation! This is pretty much the way it goes; two people can hear the exact same message; one might actually listen, while the other cannot hear what is actually being said. It's all about the heart! 

 Must people think we have more ability to understand with our minds; as if what you think is more important than what you feel in your heart, whether it is compassion or hatred, your mind will overrule your heart. Sad to say, if that is the case you make, it is only in our mind; but your heart will master your thoughts, especially when there is passion and desire! 

 We can debate what is what, but God has the final word; according to God, the heart is what moves us and makes us what we are; no matter how hard you try to change it, or think you can make it right, you will always be led by how you feel, not by what you think. 

 Enough about that, because there will always be disagreements and arguments over that, regardless of what the Bible might say! As soon as you try and make a point, someone will exclaim, "Scripture and verse; show me where it says that!" EVERYWHERE! Just saying...

"Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, "With the LORD'S help, I have produced a man! Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD. Abel also brought a gift - the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected. "Why are you so angry?" the LORD asked Cain. "Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master." One day Cain suggested to his brother, "Let's go out into the fields." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him." (Genesis 4:1-8 NLT) 

"Golgotha"

 "And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of the skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:" (John 19:17 KJV)

  "[Young Man] You are a garden fountain, a well of fresh water steaming down from Lebanon's mountains. [Young Woman] Awake, north wind! Rise up, south wind! Blow on my garden and spread its fragrance all around. Come into your garden, my love; taste its finest fruits. [Young Man] I have entered my garden, my treasure, my bride! I gather myrrh with my spices and eat honeycomb with my honey. I drink wine with my milk. [Young Women of Jerusalem] Oh, lover and beloved, eat and drink! Yes, drink deeply of your love!" (SONG OF SONGS 4:15 - 5:1)

 Well, that is pretty deep! At first glance, especially after all the Young Man had to say about the Young Woman from 4:1 to 4:14, I can see why so many that teach on this very special book, make it all about the liberties of the husband and wife. However! If you really want to experience the glorious version of this Book, the greatest Song ever written, you must put on your spiritual glasses and dive deeper into the true meaning of what the Holy Spirit has written! 

 If you recall the things I shared during the small, very confusing time, I shared on this, my opinion of who these Young Women of Jerusalem were, it was obvious to me that they represented the Holy Spirit. And, with that, Jesus Christ was the Young Man, with the church being the Young Woman. If you have the ability to do so, I recommend, you section it off, accordingly; if you have the desire to get deep into real love!  

 Golgotha, the place of the skull; so called, because the hill which was there had the resemblance of a human skull. This is also supposably the place where Abraham took Issac to be sacrificed; additionally, it is said to be the place where the Threshing Floor was that David purchased, after he saw the giant angel that was slaying the children of Israel, because of his Military Census.  

 I have this thought; this place is acquainted with many more happenings throughout the Bible; many of which involved transformation and spiritual activity, the likes of which, changed the course of history! Without getting weird or morbid, this was something Jesus was looking forward to, even though it was going to hurt! Talk about spiritual activity and transformation! 

 People look at this, wondering, 'How does this work, that Jesus took away my sins?' 'Is there any proof that my sins were forgive by His death on the cross?' Well, another deep subject! But: How does this blue ball keep on spinning? What makes this earth stay in orbit? Why hasn't it come any closer to the sun? 

 Thank Christ Jesus for holding it all together! If He can do that, He can surely take on all our sins...

""But the time is coming," says the LORD, "when people who are taking an oath will no longer say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.' Instead. they will say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.' For I will bring them back to this land that I gave their ancestors."" (Jeremiah 16:14-15 NLT) 

"The Crucifixion"

  "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 see it. 

 Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, "Change it from 'The King of the Jews' to 'He said, I am King of the Jews.'" 

 Pilate replied, "No, what I have written, I have written." 

 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said, "Rather than tearing it apart, let's throw dice for it." This fulfilled the Scripture that says, "They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing." So that is what they did.

 Standing near the cross were Jesus' mother and his mother's sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Dear woman, here is your son." And he said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." And from then on this disciple took her into his home." (John 19:17-27 NLT) 

 "Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem. Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart." (THE SONG OF SOLOMON 3:7-11 KJV)

 What a weird but wonderful day I had yesterday. My number one thing I had to do, was to meet with the salesman to at the Toyota dealership, to write up the contract for my new truck; a truck that was not going to be there until the 17th. Wow, and behold, the first that I'm told was that the truck was going to be delivered last night, and I might be able to receive it today. 

 I went into the dealership with a payment price in mind, one that I felt I could manage and that I could, hopefully afford; being that I live by sales generated, that is totally up to God! The salesman brought me, a Ben Franklin Scale, which I am very familiar with. One side had the minimum purchase monthly payment, the other had the grandaddy monthly payment. 

 As he presented the document, he kept steering towards the minimum side, as if this was a pretty good place to start, but I saw the amount on the grandaddy side was less than I had in mind, so I kept pointing to that side, saying, "Is this the total monthly payment?" He said yes, but then went back to the other side; so, I figure he misunderstood my question, so I asked again, "I this the total monthly payment cost, with everything you have listed?"  

 He said, "Yes, that's everything that you can add it your purchase price." I smiled, and said, "That is less of a payment then I planned on paying, so let's go with that side!" I felt good about that, because I made his day delightful and bright! You have got to understand, most of the car salesmen don't make much selling cars, only the one's with, well established clients, have the ability to live off selling cars.    

 I have got to say, God makes things happen, when they don't appear they will happen! The second big thing was a Termite treat I had to do, which was set for 11am, but I had to move it to 2pm. When I had done the inspection, it was June, and they had a van I wanted to have purchased for my wife. Setting out to go there, I had figured the van had already been sold; but there it was, still sitting there in the yard, getting dirty. 

 Many more things kept happening, as they all blended together, to make a day of high pressure, a day of delight! Now I am driving my trade-in, feeling as though I am driving a truck that is borrowed, and I am afraid to get it scratched. I called my insurance broker, but he reassured me that I was covered for whatever I might be driving, so that took a heavy weight off my shoulders. 

 Speaking of heavy weights: Did Jesus carry the whole cross, or just the top crossbeam member? Was the sign already on the top, or was it placed up there after He was lifted up? If it was up there already, I can't imagine that they placed to crossbeam on over it; so, He had to be bearing the entire cross. Just saying... 

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Galatians 6:14 KJV) 

"Delivered!"

 "Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away." (John 19:16 KJV)

  "This is Solomon's song of songs, more wonderful than any other. [Young Woman] 'Kiss me and kiss me again, for your love is sweeter than wine. How fragrant your cologne; your name is like its spreading fragrance. No wonder all the young women love you! Take me with you; come, let's run! The king has brought me into his bedroom.' [Young Women of Jerusalem] 'How happy we are for you, O king. We praise your love even more than wine.' [Young Woman] 'How right they are to adore you.'" (Song of Songs 1:1-4 NLT)

 If you did not get it, the point was not that Balaam's donkey spoke, but that Balaam didn't really pay any attention to the fact that it spoke, but just answered the donkey, as if he was speaking to another person. He was so out of sorts, being filled with rage, he just wanted to beat the donkey; he couldn't care less if it was somehow able to talk! 

 About this title: "Delivered!" It was not about Jesus being delivered, because He was led away; it was Pilate that had been delivered! Whatever they might think, Jesus was determined to go; more than that, He was looking forward to getting this over with; besides, the time of the Passover was at hand, it needed to be now! 

 Pilate, on the other hand, had finally given in! Matthew Henry puts it in a better perspective, showing how Pilate was yielded to be a man of character, and then turned against his own conscience, yielding to the Jews. Even though he washed his hands over the matter, he could not wash his heart! 

 And then we have those Jews! They, whether they realized it or not, had also been delivered! For without even realizing it, they were handed the honor of leading Jesus to His executioners, making the blood being placed of their hands, which they had previously stayed away from! 

 Much like Balaam, their rage had caused them to disregard the obvious, instead, they were just focused on one thing, and one thing only: Crucifying Jesus! As Matthew Henry puts it: "How he endeavored to transfer the guilt upon the Jews. He delivered him not to his own officers (as usual), but to the prosecutors, the chief priests and elders; so excusing the wrong to his own conscience with this, that it was but a permissive condemnation, and that he did not put Christ to death, but only connived at those that did it."   

 This too was fulfillment of what was written! God makes everything fall into its perfect place! I was fixated on a song that I heard a little of yesterday, "If it's not good, then He's not done!" God makes it all work towards the good, ALWAYS! Believe in Him...

""Never sacrifice sick or defective cattle, sheep, or goats to the LORD your God, for he detests such gifts. "When you begin living in the towns the LORD your God is giving you, a man or woman among you might do evil in the sight of the LORD your God and violate the covenant. For instance, they might serve other gods or worship the sun, the moon, or any of the stars - the forces of heaven - which I have strictly forbidden. When you hear about it, investigate the matter thoroughly. If it is true that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, then the man or woman who has committed such an evil act must be taken to the gates of the town and stoned to death. But never put a person to death on the testimony of only one witness. There must always be two or three witnesses. The witnesses must through the first stones, and then all the people may join in. In this way, you will purge the evil from among you."" (Deuteronomy 17:1-7 NLT)

"Say What!"

 "But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar." (John 19:15 KJV)

  "In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes." (Judges 21:25 NLT)

 Wow! This is pretty much the straw that broke the camel's back, as my mom would say! You want to have no king but Caesar, then here you go! No king shall you have! However! Although they might not have had an earthly king, King Jesus would be ruling from heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father, waiting for that special day to come, when He would come for His bride! Come Lord Jesus, come! 

 On a more personal note, what the heck is going on in this place, "The land of the free, and home of the brave?" We have so many different breakdowns in our own economy, the borders, and government; yet we have sent our Transportation Secretary to Ukraine to assemble some sort of remake of their economy and infrastructure. This just doesn't make sense! 

 I'm sorry, but I might not be very good at controlling my own finances, but come on! If this country is going to be here in another 200 years, which I doubt, that generation will still be trying to pay for all of the money this current generation has spent, and keeps on spending, as if there is no tomorrow! Does someone know something that they are not telling us? 

 Anywho; this conversation between Pilate and the chief priests, is beyond stupid and absurd! Pilate does not respect these Jews, and these Jews do not really care for Caesar. If I could take a guess, I can only imagine that Jesus was standing there rolling His eyes; much like everyone does here, every time the President speaks! 

 If I tried to relate this to something from the Bible, it would be the story of Balaam's Ass...

"So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent an angel of the LORD to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding alone, Balaam's donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned back onto the road. Then the angel of the LORD stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. Then the angel of the LORD moved further down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff. Then the LORD gave the donkey the ability to speak. "What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?" it asked Balaam. "You have made me look like a fool!" Balaam shouted. "If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!" "But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life," the donkey answered. "Have I ever done anything like this before?" "No," Balaam admitted." (Numbers 22:21-30 NLT) 

"Surprise, Surprise!"

 "And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour; and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!" (John 19:14 KJV)

  ""So tell them, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says,: May all your jars be filled with wine.' And they will reply, 'Of course! Jars are made to be filled with wine!' "Then tell them, 'No, this is what the LORD means: I will fill everyone in this land with drunkenness - from the king sitting on David's throne to the priests and the prophets, right down to the common people of Jerusalem. I will smash them against each other, even parents against children, saith the LORD. I will not let my pity or mercy or compassion keep from destroying them.'"" (Jeremiah 13:12-14 NLT)

 And judge he did! The funny thing is, he knew all along that they were pretending to honor Caesar; if Jesus would have been against Caesar, having the following that He did, they would have most likely been for Him, not against Him. But, as it was, Jesus had come for something else; something that they were not expecting, nor did they feel as though they needed it: Salvation! 

 If you might note, the King is made as One to be honored; as if Pilate was making a statement, confirming that Jesus was the King of the Jews. As he had made a sign to be placed over the cross, thus proclaiming who He was, no matter what the Jews might say, he judged this accordingly! Some think he might have been wearing his robe, as he came out with Jesus, signifying that he was Judge, making what he was going to say, final and based upon his rule. 

 Having said that, making any case as to what Pilate might have been saying, is only conjecture, and is basing an opinion without incomplete information. Much as it is for the time of day! Some say the third hour, some say the sixth; regardless of the actual time, either, based on the Jewish clock, or the Roman clock, the real time: Was the time for the preparation of The Passover! 

 To be bold, my thought would be sunrise! Which, according to the Roman time, would put it at 6am in the morning; but who really cares? I think I know who might care, the Author of the Book! He is the One that is telling the story, and He is the One that has made the time...

 ""Take special care of this chosen animal until the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month. Then the whole assembly of the community of Israel must slaughter their lamb or young goat at twilight. They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the animal. That same night they must roast the meat over a fire and eat it along with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast. Do not eat any of the meat raw or boiled in water. The whole animal - including the head, legs, and internal organs - must be roasted over the fire. Do not leave any of it until the next morning. Burn whatever is not eaten before morning. "These are your instructions for eating this meal: Be fully dressed, wear your sandals, and carry your walking stick in your hand. Eat the meal with urgency, for this is the LORD'S Passover. On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the LORD! But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking your house where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt."" (Exodus 12:6-13 NLT)  

"Apostasy"

 "When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha." (John 19:13 KJV)

  "Then the king removed the side panels and basins from the portable water carts. He also removed the great bronze basin called the Sea from the backs of the bronze oxen and placed it on the stone pavement. In deference to the king of Assyria, he also removed the canopy that had been constructed inside the palace for use on the Sabath day, as well as the king's outer entrance to the Temple of the LORD." (2 Kings 16:17-18 NLT)

 Not quite sure what we are looking at, but whatever it is, it must be important and speaks towards the events that are happening, or else John would not have made a reference to this word, 'Gabbatha.' Due to the constraints of time, I would like to just remind everyone that might not remember, this was a palace that had been built by Herod, who was known for building elaborate buildings. So, the chances are, he would have also build-in certain pieces to express the history is Jerusalem and the Temple. (Just saying!)

 To the point of Pilate's position in this matter, he has now taken the place of judgment, as the one, if you will, that is now in charge as if he has overruled what Jesus said, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above." In essence, he is acting as if the power is his, if he so chooses, and has taken the place of judge in this matter; no matter, he has placed himself above! 

 I know that seems odd and useless, but it is only his chance to feel lofty and superior; after all, he is the governor of the region, so he might as well use whatever power he feels he has been given. By the way, what the heck is happening in Trump's court case? He can't even speak on his behalf, even when he is called to testify! As soon as he starts making sense with the truth, he is told to not speak, as if it might destroy the case brought against him. (You think!)

 I'm sorry, but this country is going down the toilet, quicker than we might have expected! No wonder the United States of America is not shown to be a player in the Bible; because before we know it, it will have been stricken from this earth! I am totally fine with that, because I know where I'm going, regardless of where this nation goes, my home is in Heaven! (I'm not boasting!)

 As too the stunts that King Ahaz did, he had visited King Tiglathpileser of Assyia in Damascus, and witnessed the construction of their temple, taking notes and having Uriah the Priest of the Temple, in Jerusalem, alter the Temple of the LORD, as per his instructions. As crazy as that might sound, he really wasn't all that concerned about pleasing the LORD; so he pretty much did whatever he felt like doing. 

 Be careful what you plan for, because your plans may not work out the way that you expect! God is the one that has the plan, we are just pieces of His majestic work of art...

"Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and we 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) 

"No Friend of Caesar"

"And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let him go, thou art not Caeser's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar." (John 19:12 KJV)

  "Then the officials went together to Damiel's house and found him praying and asking for God's help. So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. "Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days and person who prays to anyone, divine or human - except to you, Your Majesty - will be thrown into the den of lions?" "Yes," the king replied, "that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked." Then they told the king, "That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day." Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament." (Daniel 6:11-14 NLT)

 Maybe I either said too much or didn't say enough; but the one thing I know for sure; I shared my heart! If you have ever counseled anyone that had someone they love commit suicide, then you know that it is hard to consult them; they hope that their loved one is in a good place, but they also know they were in a really bad place when they decided to take their own life.

 

 Last night I was watching, "Table Talk," and had heard Pastor Jack's theory over the whole Covid thing that took place in 2020 and 2021. I was relieved to hear him say exactly what I said in September of 2021, "That for the most part, it had a spiritual power behind it!" Not sure if any of you remember what I was going through then, because it was by far, the most spiritual night I have ever experienced. 

 

 Be that as it may, the battle belongs to the LORD! Whether divine or human, God is over everything, spiritual or not, He fights for us! When it comes to our knowledge of what happens in the invisible world that is all around us, we are as clueless as we are about the human heart! We know absolutely nothing! 

 If you think you are strong enough to withstand anything or control your sinful nature, you are only fooling yourself and have no hope to cope with anything! As soon as you think that you have what it takes to be a strong and obedient warrior for Christ, you will find rather quickly, that you are not as strong as you think you are!  

 

 Any power you have to defeat the enemy is from the LORD! Only by the power of the Holy Spirit are we empowered to overcome sin in our lives. There are only two ways to walk in this world, either we walk in the Spirt, or we walk in the flesh! Hopefully, you are not trying to walk in both! 

 John is writing this message, most likely 50 years after this event took place, and he is focused on the things which represent the Deity of Jesus Christ. Without any question, these Jews were not making any kind of allegiance or statement about being friends with Caesar, because they were not! They were only using this statement to convict Pilate, making him feel as though he did not respect Caesar if he called Jesus a king. 

 By the way! If you are paying any attention to the spiritual activity going on in this world, then you might be starting to feel as though things are all starting to come together, rather rapidly; without much of a pause...  

"They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. "Teacher," they said, "we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don't play favorites. Now tell us what you think and this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" But Jesus knew their evil motives. "You hypocrites!" he said. "Why are you trying to trap me? Here show me a coin used for the tax." When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?" "Caesar's," they replied. "Well then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God." His reply amazed them, and they went away." (Matthew 22:16-22 NLT) 

 

 

"On That Note" - To

 "Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." (John 19:11 KJV)

  "Then the LORD God, said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heal."" (Genesis 3:14-15 NLT)

 Not so sure about this translation, but like any other, the Editor gets to decide what is what, even if it takes away from the points that many of us use for expressing God's way of doing things! Let God be the judge of that; I am just a player in the band, He is the Conductor! 

 To the point I made the other day, about other people being involved. Much as it was for Jonah, who refused to go the Nineveh, God made sure that he went anyway: he had no choice in the matter! This is the point that Jesus is making towards Pilate: "This thing is bigger than you, sir, this is about every single soul that has ever lived and is yet to be born! You have no power over what has been established to happen to Me this day! Period!" 

 If you are concerned about my quotes, this is no joke! This day had been in the works since before the earth was made; it was surely determined to be this way before Pilate was even conceived in his mother's womb! Basically, Jesus is just letting him know that this was meant to be, and that he is not really the one who is responsible for what is going to take place. 

 The one who is responsible, is none other than Satan! He caused the fall, and he will be judged, by God, accordingly! Even those Jews that shouted, "Crucify him!", they too could have been forgiven, no matter how hateful they were towards Jesus, because He asked the Father to forgive them, Himself! 

 On the other hand, Jesus could have been speaking about Judas, the one who betrayed Him. But, if he would have asked for forgiveness, it would have been granted to him. However! Big statement is getting ready to come out! Jesus already knew what would happen!!! 

 Don't get all bent out of shape with that, because it might imply that Jesus knew Judas was going to hell; because we, being unaware of who goes to hell and who gets into heaven, should not just assume that Judas went to hell, having committed suicide, instead of asking for forgiveness. He could have asked for forgiveness on his way down, and the Lord would have forgiven him! 

 That's my thought on the matter, and I am going to stick to it! With our dying breath we can ask God to forgive us of our sins, and He will grant us forgiveness! I really hope that you believe it...

"Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?" "Yes," Jonah retorted, "even angry enough to die!" Then the LORD said, "You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city?"" [End of Jonah] (Jonah 4:9-11 NLT)  

  

"On That Note"

 "Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." (John 19:11 KJV) 

  "Power, O God, belongs to you; unfailing love, O LORD, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done." (Psalm 62:11-12 NLT)

 Don't think for a moment I didn't suffer some consequences for the wrongful things that I did; because being forgive for sins, does not mean we do not suffer the consequences for what we have done, regardless of whether or not we knew what we were doing. There is always going to be something that will come of it, whatever it is, there is a ripple that has been made, which will eventually wash up on shore. 

 Besides, the forgiveness of sin is towards our eternal life, not necessarily about this life, which is quickly fading away! "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." (John 3:16 NLT) It is all about eternal life! Which, we do not have, without being washed in the blood of Christ! 

 As far as this thing, from yesterday's post, I was reminded about Peter's denial of Jesus, and how he had somewhat prepared himself to fight off any such thing; yet, he denied Him three times anyway, almost as if he didn't even think twice about doing so. As a matter of fact, he hadn't even realized the error of his ways, until the cock crowed; at which time, he looked towards Jesus! Just saying! 

 As to my flight, or my running away from God; it was just about ten years later, from the time I packed up my bag and left home, to the day that I got the call to go to that service, in September 1981, which is when I was saved and given New Life! For ten years I didn't really want anything much to do with God, especially any established religion. And, if I did try to reach out to God, it was a god that I made, to play along with the life I was living. 

 The closest I came to a church, was after my arrest in 1980. After I was bailed out of jail, my wife and I walked to a nearby church, in order to maybe get some things corrected in our lives. No sooner than we had entered the door and sat down, someone came over, sat beside us, and wanted me to fill out a card, listing down how much money I would be giving to the church. We left rather quickly! 

 All during that ten-year period, all of the crazy things that I had done, I did without even considering that there might be a consequence for my actions; almost as if I was bullet-proof to suffering any consequences for the crimes that I had committed. Even when I was arrested, I cared nothing about myself and the situation that I was in, only about those that I left behind on the outside of those walls! 

 As crazy as it might sound, but for the most part, being locked down somehow establishes structure and consistency. You would be surprised by the number of people that actually find peace behind bars! Isn't that what we felt in our sins? It wasn't until we became born again, that we realized peace was in Christ; but when you have unconfessed sin, you really don't experience real peace...

"If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But is we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts." (1 John 1:1-10 NLT) 

"Power of Choice"

 "Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?" (John 19:10 KJV)

  "Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up? I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?"" (Daniel 3:13-15 NLT)

 Hopefully I didn't bore you with my personal issues, if that is what they were; in all honesty, I feel as though that was a journey that God allowed me to go through, much like passing through a fire, and coming out the other side, pure and holy, washed in the blood of Jesus Christ! We all have our own little journeys, some worse than others; but when comes to the salvation we have been freely given, none of that stuff counts against us, but is used towards the glory of God! 

 Without getting too far into a, (very confusing,) argument over spilt milk, I will just give one example of what I mean by, used towards the glory of God. King David, who actually had a close relationship with God; as God called him, "a man after God's own heart." Yet, even while he knew God, served for God, and even shared with others the things he knew about God, he had sexual relations with a friend's wife, found out she was pregnant, tried to trick his friend into sleeping with his own wife; and when that failed, he had that friend killed, and them married his wife. 

 God forgave David, still called him, "a man after God's own heart," and still used his throne for His glory! How many of us have gone that far, even before we came into a relationship with the Lord, let alone, after? Isn't that why God had Issiah write: ""Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations."" (Isaiah 55:3-4 NLT)

 Shifting gears, I will say this, and hopefully it does not make any sudden change of hearts. There is only so much that we can do, or not do, in this relationship and non-relationship with God. Sure, we have choices to make, one way or another; but whatever you do, God can and will, if He wills, stop you and keep you from doing, or not doing, whatever is His plan and purpose for your life! 

 Should I repeat the statement, or do you need me to put it another way? We do have limited power to make choices and go in certain directions; but ultimately, God has more power over our lives than we do; especially when it comes to the effects upon other people! We can choose to do this or that, but God can also disturb the ability we have to do anything. In the same way, we can choose not to do this or that, and God can put us into a place where we have no choice. 

 I could give you all sorts of examples, but I think you will agree, God has the final word, no matter what we think about anything; He is God, and we are not...

 "Meanwhile, Sual was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord's followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them - both men and women - back to Jerusalem in chains. As he approached Damascus in this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the someone's voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink." (Acts 9:1-9 NLT)