"A Servant's Heart"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Well-Doing" - Too

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

  "Don't be misled - you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone - especially to those in the family of faith." (Galatians 6:7-10 NLT)

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

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

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

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

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

"Well-Doing"

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

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

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

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

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

"Sacrifice of Praise" - Two

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Sacrifice of Praise"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"God-Pleasing Sacrifices"

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

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

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

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

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

"Undone!" - Too

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

"Undone!"

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

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

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

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

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

"A Gust of Wind!" - Too

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

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

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

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

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

"A Gust of Wind!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Wherefore Jesus!" - Thrice

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Wherefore Jesus!" - Two

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Wherefore Jesus!"

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

  "For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 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 a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault." (Ephesians 5:25-27 NLT)

 It has been a little while sense I have spoken about this subject; mostly because I always feel as though I am the bad guy, who makes men feel like they are not treating their wives as they should. I'd like to be able to prove myself right, but to be perfectly honest, before August the 12th, 2003, I really didn't think I needed to give up my life for my wife! Now, I only weep over all the things I did to break her heart! 

 Don't get me wrong, I really thought we had a very pleasant and loving relationship; but truth be told, between work and online surfing, she probably only had 10% of my time; and in reality, I thought my time was more important than her. Even then, I thought that our relationship was good, better than most; that is, until one night, when she came into our bed, and broke my heart, saying, "Do you love me?" 

 It was really like a sting to my heart, I felt like Peter, as Jesus asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" It says in Ephesians 5:33, "Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." Must men think that that word reverence is a word that makes the wife worship or respect her husband, no matter what. 

 Unfortunately, it is meant to be a holy fear; which might sound worse, but in reality, it is the same holy fear that we have in our reverence toward Jesus Christ! He loved us first and foremost, above all else, He gave up His life in order to make us holy and pure; now we are His bride, and we must reflect the love that Christ has given us, with fear and trembling!

 I know, this might sound weird and over-the-top; but as I have shared with several men, (without much luck,) 'If your bride loved you on the alter when you got married, and she has fallen out of love for you, it is your fault!' I really don't get a lot of compliments when I say that, but is what I feel in my heart...

"Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights. For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see." (PSALM 36:5-9 NLT) 

"Outside the Camp"

 "For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp." (Hebrews 13:11 KJV) 

  "Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." He was all alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. The woman was surprised, for Jews refused to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water."" (John 4:7-10 NLT) 

 Having shared on this before, it has entered my heart again, as I typed the title above, "Outside the Camp." This was the first message I gave to our Youth Group at church, back in the mid 90's; as a fellow brother and I took turns sharing with the High School kids; and I was the first to share. 

 Most people might not know this, but in the original King James, it says that Jesus "must go through Samaria," which was really rather odd, because the Jews avoided going through Samaria; even though it was actually a short-cut to Jerusalem. But, as I have said before, Jesus knew what He had to do, as He did, time and time again!

 Just as He did when Lazaras was ill, and He delayed going to him, because He waited for him to die; making it four days after he died, before He would show up and raise him up from the grave. In this instance, Jesus was going to minister to the Samaritan's! This encounter with the woman was the way, and He had planned for it to happen, even before she showed up! 

 How is it that I know? It is pretty obvious by the way He spoke to her and what He already knew about her; He was not just a man, as some might think! He is, and was, the Living God, the Great I AM! The One who spoke to Abraham and ate a meal with him, knowing that Abraham's wife laughed to herself, as He told Abraham that his wife would have a son! 

 What Jesus did on this mountain was something that He felt needed to be done, because these half-breed Jews needed Salvation, and He knew that they would be willing to receive it, even more than the real Jews; especially those that were Jewish Leaders...

""Please, sir," the woman said, "give me this water! Then I'll never be thirsty again, and I won't have to come here and get water." "Go and get your husband." Jesus told her. "I don't have a husband," the woman replied. Jesus said, "Your right! You don't have a husband - for you have had five husbands, and you aren't even married to the man you're living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!"" (John 4:15-18 NLT) 

"Our Altar is Real" - Too

 "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle." (Hebrews 13:10 KJV)

  "As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world's interest in me has also died. It doesn't matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. May God's peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God." (Galatians 6:14-16 NLT)

 Nothing is more important than what Jesus came and did for us on that cross! We He said, "It is finished," even though it was the first phase of what He was about to do, the salvation He came to fulfill, for the entire world, happen upon that cross, once and for all! There could have never been a greater sacrifice, nothing was greater than the Creator of heaven and earth, the One who made it all, came and paid the price for all, every single man, woman, and child, from the very beginning of time! 

 As I started to share about something earlier but didn't because I truly lack complete understanding; those who hold onto the doctrine of Calvinism, which suggest that those who are saved, are already meant to be saved, and those that don't, don't have a chance. They are missing something out on something that goes far beyond the pale of human understanding. Only God knows who will be saved! We, mere mortals, don't know or have a clue, whatsoever; except that Jesus clearly said, "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." 

 That is the NLT version; the version I like that most, says, "Whomsoever!" That basically means the same, just a little bit more random; because it really doesn't matter what you might have done, or how terrible of a person you were; everyone can come to the cross and surrender, asking for forgiveness, for we all are sinners, not one of us don't need to be saved! 

 I heard a message once from Pastor Jack, the Pastor of Eagle Nest Christian Fellowship. He made a comparison to what this "Whosoever" really stands for, as we have no clue who is going to be saved or not; but God clearly does. He illustrated it as if those who are redeemed enter into those Pearly Gates, and as the enter in, there is a sign above the gates that says, "The Called." Yet, once they enter in, and look back towards those gates, the backside of that sign says, "The Chosen." 

 Maybe you don't get that meaning, but God's mercy and grace is more powerful than we truly know! Yes, there is this thing we call 'Free Will,' which is basically meant to say that God does not force us to accept His offering of salvation; but truth be told, He also doesn't give up on making us want to be saved...

"Meanwhile, Saul 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 was approaching Damascus on his 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."" (Acts 9:1-6 NLT)     

"Our Altar is Real"

 "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle." (Hebrews 13:10 KJV)

  "If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NLT)

 Okay, let me first start be explaining this altar that we have, as if you don't already know: the altar that we serve is the cross of Christ! That is not something we take lightly, but something we make a part of our duty to remember, especially when we are tempted to sin! It isn't that we have to lay down a sacrifice or perform any kind of a ritual, as they did in the Temple; because our body is now the Temple of God, as the Holy Spirit dwells within us! 

 Hopefully that is sound doctrine to those who understand the true meaning of the cross of Christ; as He was the sacrifice that ended all those burnt offerings, having been the Lamb of God, who took away all the sins of this wicked world! Yet, when we are tempted, with whatever sin we like; remember that Jesus was crucified on the cross, so that whatever you like, will become something you will detest and washaway, so that even thinking about it makes you sick. 

 Truth be told, we only feel comfortable doing the sins that we like...

"So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has power to save your souls. But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what is says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (James 1:21-25 NLT) 

"Sound Doctrine" - To

 "Be not carried away with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein." (Hebrews 13:9 KJV)

  "Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself, you are not that important." (Galatians 6:1-3 NLT)

 This is pretty much the answer to the "heart be established with grace," which if you know anything about grace, it is getting that which you do not deserve; yet in this case, it is our responsibility to give grace to those who might not deserve it, just as Christ has given to us, amazing grace! This is pretty much the follow-through to having mercy, which is usually giving forgiveness to someone; making forgiveness a reason that you establish grace, showing that you really mean that you forgive. 

 In this Scripture from Galation's, Paul is mentioning, "the law of Christ," which we all should know is that of love towards one another! Love is not something you just say, but it is an action; something that in done, regardless of how you might feel, but because you should know it is the right thing to do! 

 Maybe I might have not made it clear enough for some, who might not agree with our role in actually showing what grace looks like; because it is actually an action, meaning if it doesn't perform, then it doesn't count! The same is with mercy, as in giving mercy is almost the opposite, meaning that you do not give something that is deserved; like a punch in the nose! 

 Sorry for that punch in the nose thing, I was just reminding myself of my actions growing up; if was not happy with someone's attitude or denial of my request, then I would just punch them in the nose, making my point that I didn't give grace to anyone, only mercy; and even then, only if they deserved it. You must know, growing up, I had a no desire to respect anyone, but myself; and even then, I didn't really respect my body; if you know what I mean.

 Anywho, enough with the strange, "doctrine"; which actually means, "That which is taught," because we are what we eat; meaning, "garbage in, garbage out"; as the story goes...

"Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them. Don't be misled - you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone - especially to those in the family of faith." (Galatians 6:4-10 NLT) 

"Sound Doctrine"

 "Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein." (Hebrews 13:9 KJV)

  "Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here." (1 John 4:1-3 NLT)

 Maybe you haven't dealt with false teaching before; but if you have, then you should know that this spirit of the Antichrist is real and is living throughout this current world. This has been what causes many cults to be hard to share the truth with, because the spirit has them fixed on a certain doctrine, that not only does not believe Jesus is who He is but also has them trapped in what they have been told; because challenging that doctrine, could cause disfellowship; which to some, it is banishment from having eternal life. 

 When you look at the word, "divers," it basically means, of various sorts. What is truth must always remain the truth, that is beyond questioning or adjustment. The point it is making requires no wiggle room for change or compromise. What that intel's would be those things that cannot be disputed or changed, as they are very clear and present; which means that they cannot not changed or altered! 

 Another issue that is brought forth, is "strange doctrine," which might not be something that has anything to do with the Bible, but is something that has a source or illusions to things totally alien, of other sorts. If you don't know what that means, there are currently people in the world, who fellowship in several of our church's, who believe the earth is flat, that aliens are what will take us to heaven, and that God is really both man and woman. 

 I am sorry if that might offend anyone; yet I pray that there is a way you will not drink the cool aide and just stick to God's Word! Other than that, focus on who Jesus is, was, and always will be....

"But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world's viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception." (1 John 4:4-6 NLT)    

"Our Positioning"

  "So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength come from God's grace, not from rules about food, which don't help those who follow them. We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat. Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come." (Hebrews 13:9-14 NLT)

  "Now thanks unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ." (2 Corinthians 2:14-17 KJV)

 If you think that you know everything, you will usually make yourself a fool, as I seem to do, more times than I care to think about. To be perfectly honest, I wish I could just stick to the basics and not try to make more out of something that has already been exposed or written about. As I have said before, as per the words of Dr. Chuck Missler: "And that God's revelation can be found in the details often overlooked, including the spaces between the letters, words, and even lines." This is considered to be, "The Gap Theory." 

 Whatever you might think of that; which is something more personal and sometimes hard to explain; God's word is Living and Alive! His word is meant for every time, according to every situation, and opens up to things meant for revelation and deeper understanding! Or you can just stick to the basic's and be satisfied with just memorizing verses; making plain and simple teaching your thing...

 "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

 "Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory; which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. For God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God." (1 Corinthians 2:1-10 KJV)  

 

"Jesus, The One and Only" - Too

 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8 KJV)

  "Lord, through all the generations you have been our home! Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God." (PSALM 90:1-2 NLT) 

 This Scripture is from Moses, the man of God. It is written that Moses is the one who wrote the Book of Genesis, using some ancient sources under God's direction; which were events that predated him: as it was, he spent many days and night in God's presence. He Most likely, it was Jesus in whatever form He took, it would have been Jesus, the manifestation of the Living God!

 When we read through the Bible, there are many different manifestations of God; each and every one of those would have been none other than Jesus, the Son of God! It could have been Him in the Garden, who fellowshipped with Adam, giving Adam the instructions to name the animals, to tend the Garden, and to not eat of the Forbidden Fruit. 

 It was Jesus that made man, using the dirt to mold him, and then breathing into his nostrils, bringing him to life! Not just life of living, but with the life of the Spirit living within him! When the Lord God said, "If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die," it was two deaths that were spoken of: one being that of separation from God, meaning the Spirit of God that was within him; and the other being death of old age! Yet, Adam, as well as Eve, still live, awaiting that day when Jesus comes to take us all up to Heaven! 

 I know some might not believe this, as crazy as that might seem; because it is absolutely unbelievable to some, even though they confess to be a Believer! You would be surprised to know how many that claim that they are Christian's, yet they believe only portions of the Bible, discarding many of the most important parts; especially the parts that deal with Creation and things too unbelievable to be true! 

 Don't doubt what is written! If it seems as though it couldn't be true, you need rethink your belief in God's power and might; because He can stop the earth from spinning, He can raise the ocean into walls that stand 100 feet high, and He can raise the dead from their graves, even if they are dry bones! 

 Any thought you might have that something isn't true, needs to be received as something that is a God thing, not something He cannot do; because He can do whatever He wants to do: Because He Is GOD! Most everything that is an appearance of God, is either Jesus or the Holy Spirit; yet Jesus will manifest in many different forms, but the Holy Spirit will manifest as the wind, fire, or a dove; because He is Spirit! 

 Besides all of that, doubtful information, Jesus was manifested as the Burning Sword at the entrance of the Garden when Adam and Eve were kicked out of that Garden; He was also with Abraham, several times! He wrestled with Jacob and dislocated his hip; He was in the fire, with the three Jewish boys! He is The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Emmanuel, The Bright and Morning Star, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and Omega, THE LAMB of GOD, KING of KINGS, LORD of LORD'S, and many more titles that call out His character. 

 To get right down to it, He grew up as a Carpenter because He made stuff, which was what He does; and He will do it again! Just you wait and see! John the Baptist was born before Jesus, yet he said...

 "John testified about him, when he shouted to the crowds, "This is the one I was talking about when I said, 'Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.' "" (John 1:15 NLT) 

"Jesus, The One and Only"

 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8 KJV)

  "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look - I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave."" (Revelation 1:17-18 NLT) 

 There is more to this than we could ever imagine; yet even then, I doubt we would know just how amazing Jesus really is, was, and forever will be! When they were going to arrest Jesus in the garden, all He had to say, is, "I Am!" and instantly they all fell to the ground; as if He could have breathed and knock them off their feet. 

 When He came out to the disciples, walking on the water, it totally scared them, as they thought He was a ghost or a spirit. Yet, He can control everything, big or small, with just a word, even just a thought, as if even His imagination is enough to create something from nothing! 

 There was this one instance when He told His disciples to get in the boat, as He said, "We must go to the other side." As they went, Jesus slept, having a pillow beneath His head. It has been said, that the pillow He was resting His head upon, was actually cloths that were folded up, waiting to be put on someone who was on the other side of the lake. 

 As they entered into the center of the lake, a horrific storm overtook the ship, and the disciples were sure that they were going to die; but Jesus keep on sleeping, as if everything was going to be fine! Personally, I believe the powers of darkness were trying to stop Him, as the man He was about to help had legions of demons living inside of him. 

 This might not seem like such a spectacular thing to some; but Jesus knows everything! He controls the elements, down to the smallest practical, every atom that makes density into matter! Even though He came to this earth in the form of a man, He still was God, with abilities beyond all others; even the demons trembled at His commands...

"So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles - as he often was - he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. When Jesus was still some distance away, the man ran to him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, "Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don't torture me!""  

"The Mighty God!"

   "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8 NLT)

  "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6 KJV)

 Not that this is anything new or a secret, hidden in the Scriptures; because it has been put up on posters and shirts and all sorts of other ways to show, just who Jesus Christ is, was, and always will be: LORD! The funny thing is, that the religion I grew up in, their Bible translation has the word, "LORD," changed to "JEHOVAH." Thus, they proclaim this to be the main reason that their translation is true, and all others are false. 

 Back to my jail time and my new life in Christ; after I was saved, I felt led to make a crossword puzzle that had JESUS in the empty squares, going across and up and down, somewhat in the form of a cross. All the questions going across were from Old Testament verses; while those that went up and down were questions that came from New Testament verses. Not that I wanted to advertise it or anything; although I did make a few copies for a couple of my new brothers in Christ. Mainly, it was my way to study and confirm what I had just found out; and a way to try to remember all the verses that speak of the LORD of LORD,S and KING of KING'S; The Mighty Son of God! 

 Maybe you don't see the encounter that I had as something overwhelming; but to me, at that particular time, it was life-changing and the most important thing in my life! Believe it or not, but God kept putting men into my life that had some affiliation with the J.W.'s. Each and every one of them almost all said the same thing: "When I get out, I am going to go to my brother's church; but they call it the Kingdom Hall." You can only imagine my reaction to their statements. I instantly opened my Bible and showed them who Jesus really was and proved to them that He was, indeed, God! 

 One of the men I shared with got saved that Sunday morning at a church service. Surprisingly, we both had a visitation at the same time; me with my wife and grandfather; he with his brother and family. This area was not like the one at the other facility; there was glass walls between us and our families; while we pick up phones to talk to each other. I witnessed the new brother in Christ, as his family picked up their phone, he picked up his, and he instantly exclaimed, "I accepted Jesus into my heart today!" Immediately, they hung up their phone, turned their back to him, and walked out of the visiting center.

 When I got ready to consult him for what had happen, he had a very big smile on his face, saying, "I just had my first persecution for Jesus!" I was overwhelmed by his excitement and knew full well that I had a reason for being in jail! That night I called my wife and she asked me what was different about me; as her and my grandfather spoke to each other going back home, wondering what it was that made me so joyful. I explained to her the salvation I had received, asking her if she wanted it also; and then I led her in the sinner's prayer, and got saved over the phone. Not too long after, my grandfather also got saved, and I knew that jail was a blessing, not a curse! 

 When I had that encounter with the possessed man in that hallway; and after exclaiming, "Praise the Lord!" after my early release denial; when I got back to my cell, the man who was reading my Bible said almost the exact thing that other man said. whose family had shunned him. After I looked up the verse I wanted to read, in Acts 19:13-16; I spent several hours showing him all the verses that show that Jesus is truly God.

 You must know something about that religion, which is actually a cult. They do not allow anyone to read the Bible on its own; everything is read through their Study Books, which reference Scriptures in the Bible. As they read out loud the lessons in the Study Books, there will be a Scripture reference, which someone will be called on to read that Scripture, and then they all confirm that the Study Guide is true. You really can't make this up! As a matter of fact, there teaching is, that if you read the Study Guides with the Bible, you will be in the light; but if you read the Bible alone, you will be in darkness. Truely a cult! 

 If I have offended anyone with that, I am truly not sorry; but I am truly sorry for you: Jesus is JEHOVAH, just in case you wanted to know: "The God who is Salvation"...

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also you are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I declared unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time." (1 Corinthians 15:1-8 KJV) 

"The WORD of GOD" - Again

 "Remember them which have rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." (Hebrews 13:7 KJV)

  "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 2:6-8 NLT)

 Now, for those that don't know, my testimony has really nothing special to it; but it is something that I will never forget! All my life up to the day I was saved, I knew a little about Jesus, I believed in God, and I believed that the Bible was true; however, what I lacked was knowing who Jesus really was, is, and always will be! 

 Some of you know my testimony; so, pardon me if I must tell it again. I was raised primarily off and on studying which the J.W. faith. I say off and on, because my mom and stepdad would always get drunk and have monstruous fights; so much so, that the organization knew about it, and our whole family would be disfellowshipped. So, we would have to move to another location, over and over, getting into the Hall of another fellowship, acting as if we were faithful witnesses. That was the sixties and early seventies; I seriously doubt that would work in this present day, which has everyone's life on display. 

 After I was discharged from the Navy, for dealing drugs on my ship; I met my wife in March of 1979; we had a son in December of 1979. I did work from time to time, but I also dealt drugs; quit a lot, enough to have all the drugs we wanted or could handle. But towards the middle of 1980, we had a deal go bad, as I sold 5 pounds of weed too undercover police officers. As soon as they said, who gets the money, and I took the cash, at least six squad cars should up, and thing got a little crazy.

 Long story short, it took about a year to get through the Court proceedings, and in May of 1981 I was sentenced to one year in the County Jail. I was given one month to get my affairs in order, and in the middle of June I turned myself over to the Los Angelos County jail. 

 I was sent to a place by Majic Moutain, where I did what I always did: Make money! I sold cigarettes, candy bars, and instant coffee; the coffee was my greatest deal, little tablespoon size bags for $5 each. You would be surprised how any inmates want a cup of coffee before going to bed at night. 

 Anywho, there was a real Church building on the compound; with a steeple and a bell; and there were services almost every day. But I was totally against organized religion; so much so, I remember praying one night about 50 yards away from that church; watching the men inside raising their hands and having worship. I started to cry, thinking that I was praying for them; but I found out later, I was praying for myself.

 During a Sunday visiting, I was spotted handing a fist full of money to my wife. Most men were getting money from their wives; so me giving her money was giving some the wrong impression. Later that day I was jumped and all had left was ten dollars; which was actually in my little New Testament Bible that I held onto, until I couldn't any longer. After that encounter, I didn't do anything about it; however, someone told the main office about it, and I was called up, over the Load-Speaker, "Norrup, come to the office." 

 I ended up being sent to another facility, because they thought that the guys who jumped me might think I ratted on them; which I did not do. However, the place I was sent to did not have a church! My guard was down, and I didn't expect to be threatened by organized religion in that place, at all.

 Yet, one Sunday morning, around the beginning of September, another Load Speaker came on, and the 90-year-old Chaplain was making a plea: "We have a great group down here in the cafeteria, and they have something very special to tell you men!" Well, that was probably my last call! I truly felt that I need to go; so I started walking down towards that cafeteria, which turned into a run.

 When I entered the room, worship had already started, so I stayed in the back, and just tied to be present. When worship ended, this black man approached the podium, taking off his watch. He held up the watch for all of us to see, and began to speak: "You see this watch? This watch tells me that somewhere out there, is a watchmaker; and I am here today, to tell you, that you, me, and all that we see, has a Creator, and that our Creator is Jesus Christ!" 

 That was it! My world was turned upside down in a second! As soon as he said that I envisioned Jesus on the cross, and my heart was broken in half! I said to myself, "What! My Creator was hung on a cross, to die for my sins!" When he asked for those who might want to be saved to raise their hand, I lifted both hands up, as if I was doubly ready to be saved! From then on, my favorite verse in the Bible was John 1:1...

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1 KJV)

"The WORD of GOD" - Two

 "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." (Hebrews 13:7 KJV)

  "A third time he asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you." Jesus said, "Then feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don't want to go." Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, "Follow me."" (John 21:17-19 NLT)

 Not that I haven't shared this before, because it has been shared several times over; but the power of God's Word is more powerful than we could ever imagine! If you know Peter's beginning, there is the same calling he received then, "Follow Me," as he received before Jesus left. There is a serious question, as far as I am concerned, which involves several Bibles that highlight Peter and Andrew as the first two disciples. I beg to differ, but it was Andrew and John that first followed Jesus; Andrew left where Jesus was staying, to go find his brother, Peter; while John stayed with Jesus, throughout the day. 

 I know, sometimes I can be a nut! But the whole matter of John's standing was never his desire to be first; but he definitely was the last one to go! John did not highlight who he was, throughout his Gospel message; not until the very end; throughout his message he referred to himself as, "the disciple Jesus loved." Some will stretch this into something it is not; because I fully believe that John had a real tuff life, before he became a disciple of John the Baptist. He and his brother were called, "The sons of thunder," which would make them out to be men with a history.

 Anywho, this is my understanding, and I am going to stick to it, regardless of what others might say. This is not only one of the most important Books in the Bible for a new believer to start with, but it is also the sharpest tool in the shed! John does not hesitate to show that Jesus is God; from the very beginning to the very end, he makes the case: Jesus is God...

"Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved - the one who had leaned over Jesus during supper and asked, "Lord, who will betray you?" Peter asked Jesus, "What about him, Lord?" Jesus replied, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me." So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn't die. But that isn't what Jesus said at all. He said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?" This disciple in the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate. Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:20-25 NLT) 

"The WORD of GOD"

 "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." (Hebrews 13:7 KJV)

  "But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, "LORD, who has believed our message"? So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have: "The message has gone throughout the earth, and the words to all the world."" (Romans 10:16-18 NLT)

 If you are wondering about yesterday's message, the reason it seemed a little dark is the dream I had while I was in the hospital. It was about the infection in my leg, as I dreamt that they had to cut my leg off, in order to stop the infection from spreading. When I woke up from the dream, I prayed to the Lord that His will be done; that no matter what needs to happen, I was ready to receive it as a blessing, not a curse. 

 As I shared that verse from Ephesians at the end of my post, there was a portion of the beginning of the verses which said, "The Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth." The reason I wanted to bring this up, was that the Bible also says that Jesus was the Creator of heaven and earth; and again, the Bible also references that the Spirit also had a role in creation: Genesis 1:1-2. 

 There is only One GOD! Which many truly do not understand! When God was going to create man, He said, "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us." (Genesis 1:26a NLT) There are several ways that this can be explained, the simplest one is that God is three in One: Father, Son, and Spirit! How hard is that to truly understand, because we too were created to be three in one: body, soul, and Spirit! Notice that I capitalized the word, Spirit; because when Adam sinned in the garden, that Spirit part of him was no longer in Adam; the death that God had warned him about did happen!

 When God said, "You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden - except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of its fruit, you are sure to die."" (Genisis 2:16 NLT) From that time when they ate of the forbidden fruit, mankind had been looking for the Redeemer that would come and restore the Spirit; making them whole again!

 In case you didn't know, that already happened! Jesus Christ is that Man...

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. 

"God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 

"He came into the very world he created, but the world did not recognize him. He came to his own people. and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn - not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son." (John 1:1-14 NLT) 

"No Fear!" - Here!

 "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:6 KJV)

  "In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us." (2 Corinthians 1:9-10 NLT)

 To truly understand what they are meaning to say, the word, "boldly," is not something that looks like bragging, but is more about confidence and to exercise courage. We have this ability to do this, only by giving everything to the Lord, by surrendering all, even if all means our very lives! Honestly, it is really the very best way to deal with whatever it is that you are going through: think of the worst thing that can happen, and then, say to the Lord, "Whatever you will, Lord, I am ready!" 

 That might sound a little difficult for some, but once you determine in your heart to except whatever the Lord allows to happen, boldly isn't really something that needs to be said, but it becomes something that is demonstrated in the peace and joy that is expressed; making people know that you are not afraid of what might happen, no matter what. 

 This is a really good illustration in the way they said, "We expected to die," as shown in the letter to Corinth. Expect the worst but pray that it is for best! God is always Good...

"When I think of this, I fall to my knees and I pray to the Father, the creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:14-19 NLT) 

"No Fear!"

 "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:6 KJV)

  "Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."" (Damiel 3:16-18 NLT)

 This is my favorite illustration of what it is like to have no fear of what man can do to me; as it was, when I first heard this message, I was in jail and getting ready to have a hearing for my early release. After I got saved, everything changed, even though I was locked down, I still felt free. Everything was all about me knowing Christ more and sharing all that I could with anyone that the Holy Spirit led me to.

 I was set back to L.A. Jail to have an early release hearing and waited in the hall to be called in for my hearing. As I sat there, minding my own business, and alone, two big guards were bringing a man down the hallway, who was obviously either crazy or possessed; shacked hands and feet, with chains wrapped around his waist. 

 As they started to approach the area I was sitting, I just looked down at the ground to avoid eye contact; when suddenly, they stopped, all three of them, right in front of me. I couldn't help but look up; and as soon as I made eye contact, the possessed man said, "I know Jesus too!" and then they just started going down the hall. 

 I really didn't know what just happened, except that I didn't have a sign on me or a Bible in my hand; I left my Bible on the bunk in my holding cell. After being denied early release, I exclaimed, "Praise the Lord!"; which caused my wife and my boss to look at each other, as if something was wrong with me. 

 When I got back to my cell, there was another inmate in the cell who was reading my Bible, who asked, "Is this your Bible?" I told him it was, and that I needed to look something up, so he handed it to me. I told him what I encountered in the hallway, and that I knew that there was a Scripture that explained this crazy encounter...

"A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!" Seven sons of Sceva, a leading, were doing this. But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?" Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered." (Acts 19:13-16 NLT) 

"Being Content" - To

 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5 KJV)

  "Then he said, "Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own."" (Luke 12:15 NLT)

 Sorry for the last couple days of nothing! I was in the hospital again and did bring my laptop with me; mostly because I just was focused on getting well enough to get back home, as soon as possible. Really don't want to go into all the details; but I did have a dream that my left leg was cut off below the knee! Glad that hasn't happened yet; but if this Cellulitis doesn't go away, it might actually happen. 

 However, I am really not all that worried about anything, not even that crazy dream. Everything is in God's hand, and whatever happens, I truly believe it is all going to be okay; no matter what, we are never forsaken, and He will never leave us! 

 I have this picture frame on the wall above my coffee bar, "Footprints in the Sand". If you know what this is talking about, it should remind you that even when you feel alone and don't feel as though the Lord is walking with you, it is because He is carrying you, and you don't even know it! 

 For some, that might sound foolish and hard to believe. But when we go through the fire, whatever that might be, He holds you in His hand and protects you; most of us don't even realize how or what gets us through! That is something many don't realize, because when they get through whatever, we sometimes forget to thank Him, praising Him for all that He has done!

 This thing about being content is really more about being satisfied with want you have or have not; even if what you have might be something that you do not want or is something that isn't exactly pleasant to deal with. It is really easy to see others that don't have the same displeasure, wishing that were you; but in this world, every one of us should remember that we will have trials and tribulations; but no matter what, we are 100% safe and secure...

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

"Being Content"

 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5 KJV)

  "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13 NLT)

 Truth be told, I only get to hold and kiss my wife; which has been that way since August the 12th 2003. So, if you were wondering why I didn't add anything to that verse from yesterday, it is just not my favorite thing to think about. 

 Being content is something that is learned, as Paul puts it. It is something that doesn't just come upon us; is something that requires training and acceptance that it is what it is. At least that is my feeling on that...

"Yet true godliness and contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content." (1 Timothy 6:6-8 NLT) 

"The Undefiled Bed"

 "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." (Hebrews 13:4 KJV)

  "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21 NLT) 

 Sorry for being so late, but I had a little food poisoning yesterday; and it was pretty rough. Cold sweats, and shaking profusely; it was something that I hardly ever encounter. Not sure if it is over; but one thing I know, I feel like going back to bed! That said, I will most likely never again buy Black & Blue hamburger patties!  

 When my wife and I were doing our 6 months of marriage counseling, I must confess, there really was a whole lot of stuff going on with that lesson. We learned things like, our bodies will no longer be our own, but they belong to one another. If you don't know what that means, it pretty much means if you say you have a headache, that doesn't count. 

 There were other things about pleasing one another in other ways, if that is what it takes; if your body is not your own, then you must give yourself to one another. There were several books we had to read about these things; some of which I was not so sure about; but we had to do it anyway. 

 There are several Pastor's that will tell you that the Song of Solomon is basically a book that tells us that the bed is undefiled, that what a husband and wife do in their bed is up to them, that they can do whatever they want, because it is their bed...

"If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom." (James 3:13 NLT)

"To Bind Together"

 "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body." (Hebrews 13:3 KJV)

  "Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3 NLT)

 It might seem like a really big shift, but in light of what we started with, those four words: "Let brotherly love continue," this is made to be a way to understand what it means to be one body! With all honesty, I must confess, I sometimes forget how important it is to not neglect feeling the pain of others that might be wrongly persecuted or suffering for believing in our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

 I can recall a conversation I heard on the radio, one about current day martyrs in the country of Iran. The brother that was sharing about what was going on, said that the Christian churches are large in his country, because they are persecuted daily. The way that he put it, was that they were much more serious about their faith in Christ, then many other Christians that don't have persecution; because they have no worries about being arrested or killed for their faith, they take going to church for granted!

 There are many more countries that do not allow Christians to bound together in churches; many have secret places where they hide and fellowship undercover. The wedding and funerals are performed, as to have fellowship together. Some people pretend to die or get married several times over; at least that is what I have heard. Imagine if that is what might happen to us, here in the United States! 

 That doesn't mean it can't happen here, because it surely can! And, by the way things are looking, there is the possibility that our freedoms will soon be over. Once they take away our rights to worship and have churches that teach about Christ and right living, I pray that this new generation will be serious also; even to the point of being arrested or killed.

 Better yet, I pray that the Lord will come and take us all out of here, soon and very soon...

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

"Angels Unawares" - 2

 "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrews 13:2 KJV)

  "The LORD appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked us and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcome them, bowing low to the ground." (Genesis 18:1-2 NLT)

 As crazy as those things I said yesterday seem, they are absolutely true; I shared them only to let it be known that there really are angels all around us; most of which we are totally unaware of, even though they are there. However, I have had encounters with some, that were just like you and I, who just show up and for whatever reason spark up a conversation; leaving without me even knowing which way they went. Whether or not they were angels, I can't really say. But what I do know, is that they really do exist and they do, some way or another, work in and through portions of our lives.

 In this, regarding Abraham's fellowship with these three strangers; one of which was none other than Jesus Himself; there were two of which that were angels. If you know the Scriptures well enough, then you would remember that part of their visitation concerned Sarah; while after their meal, the LORD asked, "Should I hide my plan from Abraham?"" (Genesis 18:17)

 We should all know what that was about, because the two angels that were with Him turned and headed toward Sodom; while Abraham started bartering with the LORD about sparing the righteous. Whatever it was that Abraham trying to do, it was for the sake of his nephew Lot, who lived in Sodom. You should all know the rest of that story, because angels do rescue people; this much I am absolutely aware of... 

"So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was actually happening. They passed by the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. Peter finally came to his senses. "It is really true!" he said. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!"" (Acts 12:9-11 NLT) 

"Angels Unawares"

 "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrew 13:2 KJV)

 "The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered." (Acts 12:6-8 NLT)

 Nobody can tell me that angels aren't real; having had some experience, some which were hard to figure out, and some which were hard to believe, even though they were happening. Once, when I was about 15 years old, I was crossing the street to meet my girlfriend; darting across the street, I didn't notice a car was coming at me, as I sprinted over an island that separated the street. She yelled out to me, saying, "Watch out!" and immediately I was able to somehow stop in mid-air, just for a brief second, as the car slightly brushed by me. She was astounded, saying, "How did you do that?" I told her I didn't know how, but it must have been my guardian angel that stopped me.   

 There have been several other encounters, over the years. One that I remember was the most long-lasting encounter, which I believe was actually spiritual warfare, taking place in my own house. It was during Covid, when I was praying with my wife, because her mother and stepdad were dealing with it, and we were praying for them to be healed. 

 As I it was, I was also dealing with a verse that was going to be part of my blog post the following morning, it was the one where the man Jesus healed at the pool of Bethesda, and his answer to the Jewish leaders, as he carried his sleeping mat in the Temple, on the Sabbath. There was something I felt was important in the way he answered their demand, "You can't work on the Sabbath! The law doesn't allow you to carry that sleeping mat!" 

 For at least 5 to 10 minutes, I keep reading his answer over and over to me wife, saying his answer again and again, "The man who healed me told me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'" After about the 8th or 10th time I read it, my wife looked at me, as if I was nuts, and I immediately figured it out. Jesus said to the man, "Stand, pick up your mat, and walk!" I know it sounds a little over-the-top, but for the rest of the night, until about 2:30 am, things were going crazy in my house! 

 I have shared on this before, but there is a Rabbit Air machine in the room, which is programed to respect the darkness; which means, if the lights are off, the machine does not light up. This thing was not only lighting up, but it was going full on, and the sensor light was bright red! Over and over, it kept happening, especially when I would call out for Jesus to help. My dog was in the next room, in his kennel, and I could hear him whimpering, as if he was scared. 

 At 2:30 I decided to say enough is enough and decided I needed to get some sleep. I pretty much didn't care anymore and spoke out, saying, "You guy's fight it out, I'm going to sleep!" At 4:00 I woke up and went into the living room to pray and start my blog. In that room there are three of the Rabbit Air machines, and each of them were breathing, one at a time; one would breathe, then the next would breathe, and then the next; all three taking their turn, for at least 10 minutes or so.

 I was wondering if I should even complete what I was going to do; because it was concerning the answer of that healed man, and the answer Eve gave to the devil about the fruit which was forbidden...

""Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden," the woman replied. "It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, 'You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die."" (Genesis 3:2-3 NLT)