"The Faith of Moses"

  "It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king's anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the passive and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons." (Hebrews 11:24-28 NLT) 

  "And when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: for he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them; but they understood not. And the next day he showed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Will thou kill me, as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday? Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons." (Acts 7:23-29 KJV)

 As we all should know, Moses was a little scared that he might have been caught for killing the Egyptian, as he had thought that it wouldn't get out that he had done so; so, he fled from Egypt and became a sheepherder in the land of Midian. Amazingly, that is not really an accidental job that he just stumbled into; God was guiding and training him for that wilderness journey, where he would be the shepherd for the children of Israel! 

 This really is all God's specific plans; and He is extremely good at making everything work towards His will and purposes...

  "And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground. I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt. This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and judge? the same did God send to be ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush." (Acts 7:30-35 KJV) 

"God's Will"

 "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child, and they were not afraid of the king's commandment." (Hebrews 11:23 KJV)

  ""When a servant come in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, 'Come in and eat with me?' No, he says, 'Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.' And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, 'We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.'"" (Luke 17:7-10 NLT)

 This might be something we all should know, whether or not we have it has been shown to us or not; but this story about Moses and his parents was all God's plan, and His will and purposes are always carried out, one way or another. They saw a special child, because God put that into their hearts, because Moses was going to be the one to deliver His people out of bondage. 

 The thing about them not being afraid of the king's command, although they hid him for three months, they did everything they did by God's inspiration and plans; all the way to the Pharoh's daughter taking him in and making him her son. It was all God's plan, and His will, will get done!

 On a different note. When I was sitting next to me wife's hospital bed, one afternoon, Neil was on Fox News interviewing the family of Terri, who was pretty much in my wife's condition, and had been for 15 years. Having the opportunity to see that, was not by chance, but it was meant for me to see how what not to be, because Terri's husband wanted to have her starved to death, because he wanted to move on with his new family. 

 After seeing that and knowing it was almost very similar to aborting a baby in the mother's womb, I had made up my mind that I was not going to let anyone take Marianne's life; that it would be totally up to God when it was time for her to go. And He still has her here! She has never been administered back in a hospital since she was brought, by an ambulance, to our new home, in November of 2003. 

 There is quite a story about this new home; one that I continually share from time to time, as I trusted God would make it all happen. Due to the fact that I was spending more time at the hospital with my wife, then I was running my business, productivity was not doing so well, as all of my employees were concerned that I was going close my business.     

 By the end of the second month, our monthly income dropped by almost 50%, and bills were not getting paid as they should. Several of our suppliers started to send notices, and my credit report was starting to not look so good. 

 By the second week or so of October, the doctor told me that Marianne needs to be placed in a Care Facility, but there was none of them I liked, but one; and they said they couldn't take her, So I told the doctor I was going to take her home. The doctor said that was not possible, due to her condition; but I kept insisting and even started making the plans to find a home closer to the hospital and better suited for us staying in the same bedroom. 

 After trying to rent a home, three different times, and being turned down because of my credit report, I came into the office, tossed my keys down on the desk of one the four secretaries, and said, "Okay, this is how it's going to happen: The house God has for us is going to be without an application, but just signing a rental agreement!" 

 Two days later, that is exactly what happened! God is good! Not only was the house well suited for our needs, but the rent included pool service, yard maintenance, and monthly pest control. God also made a way for there to be a live-in Care provider, which moved in and started the first of January. Not only that, but one day, about 6 months into me paying for all Marianne's bills, a lady showed up from 'The Waiver Program' and took one look at Marianne and signed her up for that system.  

 These things I shared, because there is something special that happens to those who will be willing to take a chance and let God's will be done, no matter the cost! We are His servants and we are the ones who give the thanks! Give thanks with a grateful heart... 

 "I look up to the mountains - does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! He will not let me stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The LORD keeps you from all harm, and watches over your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever." (PSALM 121 NLT) 

"Not Afraid!"

  "It was by faith that Moses' parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's command." (Hebrews 11:23 NLT)

  "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." (Psalms 56:3-4 KJV)

 There are certain times when we are afraid over something we might not know how to deal with; and then there are times we are just scared about something that is just too overwhelming. To be perfectly honest, I feel that fear is totally normal and is actually something that makes us really focus on trusting God, even though have no strength or ability to overcome whatever might be causing us fear. Actually, those are the best times, because we have nothing left to do, but totally trust God and surrender to His will! 

 If you have ever been in a situation that is too overwhelming and you just don't know what to do, then that is the perfect time to just fall on your knees and cry out to God! Having been there, I fully know that He is more than faithful to give us the strength we need to overcome, whatever it is that we might fear, even if it is fear for someone else! 

 I know I have shared this before, but it is real and is something that needs to be repeated. Fear is said to be, False Evidence Appearing Real, but that isn't always the case, as you watch them take the love of your life out of surgery, and she is totally on life-support, with tubes pumping life into her body; that is truly real and is overwhelming! Fear doesn't even count, because the destruction has already accrued. 

 That night was more than I could deal with, and I was told to go home and rest, or I would be a patient too. It was almost midnight when I got home, and as soon as I did, I went into my office, feel on the floor, and cried out to God with every bit of strength that I had. After about twenty or thirty minutes, I suddenly felt a peace, as if God was assuring me that everything will be okay.

 When I finally went to bed, I fell into a very deep sleep, waking up in just a few hours and feeling refreshed; and headed back to the hospital at 4:00 that morning. I knelt down next my wife and began to pray for her and read Scriptures to her from my Bible. 

 The nurse who came in later that morning noticed that my wife's palms were pushing out away from her body, telling me that was a very bad sign of traumatic brain damage. That made me pray even more, asking God to ease her pain and relax her body. Two days later her hands were cupped and resting at her side.

 For three months she was in that hospital, and so many things became different in my life. However, I had no fear over anything, absolutely nothing! What else could matter, when you go through something so traumatic and catastrophic as that, nothing else really matters! 

 I know that doesn't seem to be something the word fear represents, but the False Evidence Appearing Real, although it was a really big deal, the True Evidence is that God is faithful, beyond anything that we can even imagine! Oh, I still have times when I cry about her condition, but I try very hard not to cry in her presence. It has happened a few times, and she gave me a look that made me think that she was wondering why I was crying. 

 Regardless of what you might think, even though God did not fully heal her, I know for a fact that she is going to be perfect some day; as will all that believe in our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus...

"I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?" (Psalms 118:5-6 KJV)    

"Time-Place-Order"

"By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones." (Hebrews 11:22 KJV)

  "Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God, and that Spirit lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness." And again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless." So don't boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you - whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God." (1 Corinthians 3:16-23 NLT)

 If you really think about what I meant about holding onto the heal of Jesus, it basically is the fact that He has gone before us, making the way for us; taking our place and paying the price for our sins; all of that so we can be worthy to be in the presence of the Father! It really isn't that hard to understand, yet the majority of this world is unable to see it or believe it is real. 

 Besides that, Jacob also meant something else besides, "Heal-catcher," his name also meant "Supplanter", which actually means, 'someone or something taking the place of another, as through force, scheming, strategy, or the like.' Whether you realize it or not, but basically all three of those things that are 'the like' were used in the process of making our salvation available: through force, because Jesus had to suffer and die for it to happen; by scheming, because it was mysterious and plotted out, even before the world was created; and by strategy, because it was complex and wasn't going to fail! 

 Whatever you might, think all of that, it was His doing; and yet, we are given the chance to reach out and grab hold of it, holding on for dear life! What's even greater than that, is that He is also holding onto us, in the process; and His grip is stronger!

 Anywho, this might seem strange, (like that doesn't happen,) but the title was meant to share about something totally different, something which talked about Isaac's timing, Jacob's placement, and Joseph orders; but then again, I think I covered all three anyways... 

"It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God's workers. And you are God's field. You are God's building." (1 Corinthians 3:7-9 NLT)  

"Superimposition"

"By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff." (Hebrews 11:21 KJV)

  "Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don't need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don't yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)" (Romans 8:20-25 NLT)

 I really don't know what or why I am doing this, but it was just something I felt that God wanted me to do, even though I have no clue, whatsoever, what it all means, or how to explain it! With that, let me try to explain what this title means, and maybe it will all come into focus. The word is, "superimposition," which is basically "the action of placing or laying one thing over another, typically so that both are still evident." 

 The first thing that came into my mind was Jacob's blessing of Joseph's sons. How that even makes it relevant, I have not any clue, but whatever it is, it is something that was part of God's plan, otherwise Jacob would not have done it the way that he did. If you know the story, Jacob took hold of the younger son, to bless him first; but Joseph stepped in and put the older son in his place. Yet Jacob insisted on the younger son binging blessed first; basically, breaking tradition. 

 Maybe it had something to do with his own blessing he received from Isaac, which was meant to be for Esau, as he was technically the older, first out of the womb, son. But Jacob was also named what he named, because he held onto the ankle of his older brother, as his brother came out from the womb. 

 I really don't know why, but I do know that I too am a "heel-catcher," as so anyone else that is meant to go to Heaven! Jesus is the only way! And all of us are holding tightly unto His heel, in order to be there with Him...

"I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness. Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness." (PSALM 145:1-7 NLT) 

"Things to Come" - Too

 "By faith Isaac blessing Jacob and Esau concerning things to come." (Hebrews 11:20 KJV)

  "Ah, I hear my lover coming! He is leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills. My lover is like a swift gazelle or a young stag. Look, there he is behind the wall, looking through the window, peering into the room. My lover said to me, "Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one! Look, the winter is past, and the rains are over and gone. The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air. The fig trees are forming young fruit, and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming. Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one!"" (SONG OF SONGS 2:8-13 NLT)

 Over these past few weeks, it has really been strange how I have heard several different Pastors share on certain things about the coming Rapture; which, if you are paying close attention, is getting closer and closer to the time when our Lover will come! We may not know the time and date, but I truly believe that we should know the season! I for one, believe the season is now! 

 As I was listing to Pastor Mike share the other day about Revelations 13, and the way the rise of the current technology is rising, somewhat quicker than anyone might have imagined, he mentioned the part in Scripture where it is talking about the force that takes control, so to speak; that is does not have life, but, it has breath, and it's breath moves swiftly. 

 As I was pondering that what that might actually look like, I remembered something I learned when I was in Fire Camp as a teenager, that fire does not actually have life, but it does have breath, and more breath that it has, the quicker it spreads. I also remembered that Thursday afternoon, during the Carr Fire, as I drove down Keswick Road, just to see how far away the fire was from my house. 

 When I was just a few more turns away from the dam, I pulled over at an area on the side of the road where there was an opening, got out and just stood there feeling as if there was something going to happen. It was very still, almost as if the wind had totally stop completely; it was very spooky and I really felt that I needed to get away. 

 If you want to know what I felt, it felt as if the fire was filling up with breath, preparing to breath! And breath it most certainly did! Around 3pm my power went out at the house, and I received a text from PG&E that the power would be restored in two weeks. So I started packing the RV and getting my wife ready to leave. Then, within about thirty minutes, power was restored; but I still worked on getting away. 

 It wasn't soon after, that I hear several helicopters leaving the staging area down the road, as well as the tanker trucks starting up and rolling out. So, I figure if they are leaving, so am I! I was overwhelmed at the traffic on the freeway, especially the long line of cars that were trying to get onto the freeway, to escape from the fire. The radio announcer that was sharing the progress of the fire was in a panic, saying that Cal Fire hasn't given any updates, because they really didn't know what was happening! The fire was making its own wind, like fire tornados, spinning out of control and randomly moving in all sorts of different directions! 

 Anywho, that is my take on this particular season that we are living in... 

"The Lord isn't being slow about his promise, as some people think, No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectantly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment." (2 Peter 3:9-10 NLT)  

"Things to Come"

 "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning thing to come." (Hebrews 11:20 KJV)

  "So Jacob went over and kissed him. And when Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he was finally convinced, and he blessed his son. He said, "Ah! The smell of my son is like the smell of the outdoors, which the LORD has blessed! "From the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth, may God always give you abundant harvests of grain and bountiful new wine. May many nations become your servants, and may they bow down to you. May you be the master over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. All who curse you will be cursed, and all who bless you will be blessed."" (Genesis 27:27-29 NLT)

 Whether we can understand it or not, there was really something important in this blessing that Isaac was giving to Jacob, even though he thought it was Esau. In this blessing, as well as in the way that Jacob was pretending to be his brother; Isaac's blessing painted a perfect picture of what was going to happen in the future, with Jacob's son, Joseph. 

 As we see, in the not-so-distant future, Joseph was having dreams abought all his brother's and even his father, Jacob, bowing down to him. Not only that, but when Joseph became the second in command of Egypt, all the other nation became his servants, as they gave up land and possessions, in order to have grain, to feed their families. 

 And to make things even more familiar with this story, when Joseph's brothers came for grain, they had no clue that he was their brother, as he did not even look the same to them. He also did become the master of his brother's; so much so, they begged him for mercy; especially when he asked them to go home and bring Bengamin, in order to prove who they really were; when actually he just wanted to see his brother. 

 Sometimes we see things are meant for certain reasons, and certain people have something in store for them, when it turns out that it was not them at all, but someone else that was actually close to them. The whole point is that God does not fail! His plans are going to happen, regardless, even if it is not the one that gets the blessing but is just the one that makes the blessing happen.  

 When I was given the opportunity to share this particular message, Isaac blessing to Jacob, I used this illustration of Jacob's reasoning to his mother, that it wasn't going to work. This is not easy to explain, as I tried, but most of the congregation didn't really get the massage. But I saw a similarity in the way Jacob doubted his mother's plan would work, as the problem some people have with God's plan that Jesus paid the penalty for their sins.

 It really isn't that hard to believe, unless you don't know who it was that hung on that cross! If you think that Jesus was someone else, less than God, then you're missing something that makes the truth undeniable; because it was God, it means that it totally and completely worked! 

 Even then, some might say, "Why would God need to come and die on a cross for us?" Well, if it takes a perfect sacrifice to do the job, only God is perfect! End of story...

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation., for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see - such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fulness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross." (Colossians 1:15-20 NLT)  

  

"The Three"

  "It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau. It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff. It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left." (Hebrews 11:20-22 NLT)

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

 As I was saying, about those first two decades of my doubts, now and again about the Deity of Christ; it was pretty much this singular verse that sealed my heart, and made be totally and completely believe that Jesus Christ, was, is, and forever will be God! As a matter of fact, every translation of a Bible that I might look at or think to read, if this one verse, John 1:1, does not say what it should say, then I will refuse to read that translation, and I will warn anyone else that might be reading it to throw it away! 

 I determined that my lessons from growing up and being told that Jesus not God, had sometimes made me doubt, even though it was that exact point that made me stand, raising both hands, as the Preacher asked, "If you want to ask Jesus to come into your heart, raise your hand." When he preached the words, saying, "You see this watch? This watch tells me that somewhere out there, there is a Watch Maker. And you, me, and all that we see, tells me that there is a Creator! And have come here today, to tell you, that Creator is Jesus Christ!" 

 In just a flash, as soon as he said those words, I envisioned Jesus on the cross! I thought to myself, "My Creator died on a cross, to save me!" It really was overwhelming me; especially when he followed up reading several verses from the Bible that verified that what he said was true. You have got to know, we really never just read the Bible; we read the Scripture Studies, and verified them, by looking up certain Scriptures. 

 As a matter of fact, we were told, reading the Scripture Studies with the Bible, would bring us into the light; but if we set the Scripture Studies aside, and read the Bible alone, we would be in darkness. You really need to know, I was being raised in a cult! I was 23 when I got saved; and it took almost 20 years for me to be totally freed from that false teaching; even though it was that simple fact that brought me to the point of asking Jesus into my heart! 

 If that doesn't make sense to anyone, then I would simply say, you don't really remember what it was that caused you to give your life to Jesus! It is the thing that pulled the trigger that will be the thing the devil will use against you, time and time again. Sooner or later, you will figure it out! 

 I really love John's closing statement...

"This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen." (John 21:24-25 KJV) 

"The Reckoning!" - Too

 "Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received in him a figure." (Hebrews 11:19 KJV)

  "But tell me this - since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God - for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world." (1 Corinthians 15:12-19 NLT)

 If you really don't understand the term, "reckon," it isn't really that difficult to see Paul's reckoning of what might be if it was true that Christ didn't raise up from the grave; what pitiful life it would be for all of us that believe, if that was really the case. Thankfully, we are assured that He did, because it can be easily proven, if we clearly believe in the written Word of God!

 I really don't know how else to say this, except to say that somehow the believer's in God, from a very long time before Jesus came, actually believed that He was coming to save the world, and that He was going to be killed, and that God would raise Him back up from the dead. Other than that, why would Abraham even consider it possible, except for the fact that God said his son would have many children? 

 Here is the thing that made be sure, surer of who Jesus is, was, and always will be: By truly believing what the Bible says, from the beginning to the end, it is all very plain to see; if that is, you're willing to believe! I suppose that if God had made everything through His Son, which is the Word, then I also figure that He is also God! It is really undeniable to reckon that is true...

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Wood 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." (John 1:1-3 NLT) 

"The Reckoning!"

 "Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." (Hebrews 11:19 KJV)

  "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. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:19-21 NLT)

 As much as might think I know, there is always something that causes me to doubt, thinking that I know nothing at all; as strange as that might sound, it isn't hard for it to happen, even to someone that thinks they know everything. I reckon, those who think they know everything, don't even have a clue about God!

 When I was saved, back in 1981, there was something that I discovered that made me feel as though nothing else mattered but knowing and learning about God, especially about God's Son, Christ Jesus! I have shared this before, but during the first couple of weeks during my new life in Christ, I worked hard on making a crossword puzzle that listed all the Scriptures that showed or pointed to Jesus Christ being God. 

 Without going too far into the reason that was so important for me to do, let's just say I had been told that He was not God, in so many ways, that I needed to prove it to myself that He was, indeed, God! However, even after that, there would be times when I doubted it was true. For probably twenty years or so, now and then I would have this battle in my mind over the fact that Jesus is truly God, thinking what I have heard and read was wrong, and all of it was a lie. 

 Don't get thinking that I was messed up, because it really wasn't really what I believed: I absolutely did believe Jesus was who He said that He was; I just, now and again, doubted that it was true. If you think that isn't possible for someone that truly believes, then think again, because Peter once proclaimed that Jesus was God, but after He was arrested and being tried, he declared three times he didn't know Him! 

 Here is something that might sound weird or strange; but in a strange sort of way, Abraham actually felt as though Isaac had come back to life. Not to say that he had been killed, because God stopped it from happening. But you must realize what was going on in Abraham's heart and mind, as he was preparing to stick that knife in the chest of his, one and only son, the son of the promise!  

 I can only imagine the joy he felt, when God said, "Stop!" What a relief he must have felt, his son was saved; his life was spared! He had thought all along that God would do something, because He had promised that Isaac was the one; so, he even thought about him being brought back to life, if he had actually killed him. 

 When you truly think about it, I reckon God used this illustration to be the figure of His Son, Jesus Christ, the one that became a sacrifice for our sins! Even though He knew that He would rise again, the thought of what He would endure was overwhelming, so much so, that He sweat blood, praying that the Father would change His mind, and make it all stop! 

 Unlike Abraham's situation, even though God provided the sheep to take Isaac's place, our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, prepared Himself to be the Lamb, saying, "Not my will, but Thine be done"...

"But it was the LORD'S good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD'S good plan will prosper in his hands." (Isaiah 53:10 NLT)

"The Seed" - To

 "Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall they seed be called:" (Hebrews 11:18 KJV)

  "Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God's promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God's own fulfillment of his promise. These two women serve as an illustration of God's two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother." (Galatians 4:21-26 NLT)

 Having said all that stuff yesterday, it was primarily put out there for this post today. Not that it is not something we must always strive for, to bring everything to God before we do it; because I seriously doubt that anyone really does. Much like Abrham, who when told by his wife to take her handmaid, Hagar, to provide for the son God promised; I seriously doubt that Abraham prayed over that, asking God if that was His plan. 

 However! As I have said at least a hundred times: God knows beforehand and prepares the way for all the things that we do wrong, to be things which work for the good, in some form or fashion! We have really no idea what might happen based upon the wrong that we have done. Most of the things that are made to happen from what we do, either good or bad, will happen without us even knowing. 

 The other day I heard someone say that Rahab the harlot was not the same Rahab that was associated with King David's birth. I'm really not sure why, because she, and three other women which had, shall we say, strange sexual back grounds, are listed in the ancestor lines in Matthew. I truly believe that they are all listed there for a specific reason. 

 What's more, is that Ruth was a Moabite, from the land of Moab, which was the offspring of one of Lot's daughters, who had a sexual relation with her father, Lot, in order to keep the family line going. And then we have Tamar, who dressed as a harlot to get even with Judah, for not giving her his last son to wed. Even Bathsheba is mentioned, the mother of Solomon, the widow of Uriah! 

 The only other woman listed in Matthew's record of Jesus the Messiah's ancestors, is Mary; and she was a virgin, conceived before marriage, and have had to deal with the rumors of infidelity, even though she was pure...

"When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, "Who can know the LORD'S thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?" But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:13-16 NLT)    

"The Seed"

 "Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:" (Hebrews 11:18 KJV)

  "Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God's people! Being descendants of Abraham doesn't make them truly Abraham's children. For the Scriptures say, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted," though Abraham had other children, too. This means that Abraham's physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham's children. For God had promised, "I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."" (Romans 9:6-9 NLT)

 The thing that is important for us to realize, is that God is the one who makes the rules! As much as we think that we have the ability to make changes on our own, if we do anything without His approval, or His say-so, then we deal with whatever happens, down the road. I'm not saying this because I faithfully do pray for all that I do; but I am saying it because I know it is something I don't do, quite frequently! 

 I can say with all honesty that I don't even realize when I do not ask Him first before I decide to do certain things; mostly because they don't involve church or ministry. If I am buying a new truck, I will just buy a new truck, not even thinking about praying about it first, to get His approval. I know that doesn't sound like it is a really big deal, to some people; but everything we own or have belongs to God!

 Really, the things we plan and the things we do, always should be things that are prayed over first; yet there are things we might think are ours to do on our own, without even asking Him if we should. If it sounds as if it isn't really that important, the little things we do on our own, all add up; before you know it, you are stuck with a pile of garbage! 

 You have sung that song, at least you heard it: "He gives and takes away," He can do that because it is rightfully His! We really own nothing in this world; when we die, we leave just as we came, with nothing but a soul. And guess what, He owns that too...

"So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, "I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth." So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. Well then, you might say, "Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven't they simply done what he makes them do?" No, don't say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, "Why have you made me like this?" When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have the right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those whom he shows mercy, who are prepared in advance for glory. And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles." (Romans 9:16-24 NLT) 

"The Only Begotten Son" - Too

 "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son," (Hebrews 11:17 KJV)

  "So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, "I have made you the father of many nations." This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing." (Romans 4:16-17 NLT)

 Over the past two days, I have heard several different messages about those who believed that Jesus was who He said He was, and about all of the historical things that were made to represent His time here on earth. As it goes, there appears to be a time, possibly before the dark ages, when most of humanity was honoring Christ, in all sorts of ways. The actual time of history was counted, based upon His birth and the time of His departure, B.C. and A.D., which have recently been altered to mean something else. 

 I am saying this because there is some proof that the idea and belief in God sending His one and only begotten Son to save us from our sins, has been something that was known, in some form or fashion, ever since Adam sinned in the Garden. They might not have seen the whole picture, before He came and was the sacrifice for our sins, but they knew that He would be coming!

 It has been said that the place where God told Abraham to go; the place where he was to sacrifice his son, was the same place where Jesus was crucified on the cross. It has also been told that this was the place where David paid for the threshing floor, to build an altar. Without a doubt, the whole reason for the test that God put Abraham through, was also a window to the place for Jesus to be crucified, right there in the same location. 

 There is more evidence of these being the last days, between the changing of the times of Jesus coming and going, to the way things are speedily getting stranger and technology is changing the way we live; this should be something that brings everyone who believes to a know that He will soon come for His bride! I really do hope that we all will be ready!

 One other thing, that really should make this story more alive, is that Abraham said something to Isaac when he asked his father, "Where is the sacrifice for the offering?" The answer is sometimes not told by some the way that it should be. Some say that Abraham said, "God will provide the sacrifice," while others, say, "God will provide Himself a sacrifice." Based upon what I know, I choose the later, but regardless, they both are correct...

"Isaac turned to Abraham and said, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "We have the fire and the wood," the boy said, "but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?" "God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son," Abraham answered. And they both walked on together." (Genesis 22:7-8 NLT)   

"The Only Begotten Son"

 "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son," (Hebrews 11:17 KJV) 

  "Some time later, God tested Abraham's faith. "Abraham!" God called. "Yes," he replied. "Here I am." "Take your son, your only son - yes, Isaac, whom you love so much - and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you."" (Genesis 22:1-2 KJV)

  As we all know, Abraham did have another son, who was named, Ishmael. As it was, God did bless him, telling his mother, Hagar, "Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants." Even though God did bless the older son, that son was not the one that was the son of promise, but the making from the work of man, not the power of God! 

 However, as I have said before, God used the mistake of Abraham's choice to listen to his wife, as a tool to save the whole family of Jacob, in a time of a very serious famine. Even still, Isaac was the son of the promise, which is why God used the term, "only begotten son." 

 I really don't know how else to put this, except that God is able to forgive our mistakes! This is really the whole point of what makes people doubt God's forgiveness, because even though He forgives, we have a really hard time forgiving ourselves. 

 Last night Pastor Bryan was sharing about Paul's statement from Philippians 3:13, as he said, 'Paul has not forgotten; but is not letting those things of the past, interfere with what he does today." Or, saying, something of that nature! We must completely and truly believe in the cross of Christ, that all of our sins have been completely forgiven! 

 When Jesus died on that cross, He took upon Himself the sins of the entire world; even those from the very beginning to the very end; there was no one who's sins were not paid for on that cross! Yet, it is a free gift of salvation that must be received in order for it to work...

""For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. "There is no judgement against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son."" (John 3:16-18 NLT) 

"Abraham's Test"

 "It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God's promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted." Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead." (Hebrews 11:17-29 NLT)

  "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith." (Romans 4:13 KJV)

 Having been following the Lord, mostly, for all of these 45 something years, I have had several times to feel as though God was testing me, as if to see if I truly did trust Him, and I know that He was not only faithful, but that He was more than able to do things that I never even had seen or thought about. When we think that God is doing something, which might be within our inner circle, we really have no idea where or how far His something will go! 

 I'm not saying that I know the outcome of anything; I don't think any of us really truly do. But I do know what God promises will be, because He is always faithful, even if I'm not! If I have said it once to many times, I will say it again: If God choose you to be His child, He knew full well what you might do to break His heart; but His forgiveness is unending! He saved you broken, and He made you unbreakable!

 As I thought about what I had posted yesterday morning, I really planned to make it another message about the same; yet I felt that enough was said about how we get prepared, because we really cannot be consistent and totally faithful. But what we must do, is trust that He is constantly faithful, no matter if we are not; He will make a way for us make to the other side of this journey, justified and purely clean... 

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV) 

"Preparation"

 "But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." (Hebrews 11:16 KJV)

  ""Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on and apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready. "Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected."" (Luke 12:35-40 NLT)

 So, here is a little twist on the illustration in most people's mind regarding this verse in Hebrews, as we sometimes forget that we too have to prepare ourselves to enter into the house that God has prepared for us! Much like it was for those Israelites that prepared for the first Passover, they marked their doorposts with the blood of a lamb, cooked their meal, and got dressed; standing around their tables, with shoes on and staff in hand: as if they were ready for a journey. 

 There are several different Scriptures that are running through my mind, as to what this really looks like. The interesting thing that blows my mind, is that our preparation is really not all that hard, as a matter of fact, God is the one that does all the heavy lifting, so to speak: we just need to be ready to go! 

 The first thing that comes to mind, is the cross of Christ, which was most definitely hard on the Lord to go through it; but the result of what He did, made it very easy for us to have our sins washed away: we just needed to believe and receive the grace we were given! As easy as it might sound, many people are not able to believe it; not because they can't believe, but because they don't want to believe because they don't want to be changed or give up doing what they are doing. 

 Additionally, there are certain thing that seem hard to some, but they make things hard on themselves because they try doing them on their own, instead of letting God lead them. This has been one of my difficulties for as long as I remember! You know what I mean, it's a lot like that message about God telling someone to move a big rock, they obviously can't move. They push and push, but it never works, it only makes them discouraged and wanting to give up. When all the time, God was waiting for them to ask Him for help, which would have made their heavy burden rather easy! 

 It might not make total sense, but it really doesn't require strength to do what makes God happy, it only requires the real desire to serve Him, and He will make it very easy; as Jesus has said...

"Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."" (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT)   

"No Turning Back!"

 "And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned." (Hebrews 11:15 KJV)

  "Don't worry about anything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)

 This might just be the same topic from the last two days, as it takes into consideration to what really matter most, and how knowing what the Lord has promised, is not only true, but we have the peace of God in believing it is where we are going. That really makes a very big difference to any reason we might think about turning back to our old life, which, in my opinion, is not possible for those who truly believe that Jesus is coming back to bring them home.  

 As silly as it might sound, but the other night when President Trump was again in a situation where he might have been taken out, the first thing that popped into my head was, 'The Last Trump', which is the trigger that actually sets off the rapture to happen. Not that I am looking for anything to happen, because I do truly believe he has been appointed by God and is doing good; much different than the one who was before him, that much is for sure! 

 We must always be ready for the Lord's return to take up the church; even though we might slack off from time to time, living and planning in this world in which we are Pilgrams! There really isn't any reason to stop living and providing for others; but there is a very special reason that we do our best to be ready...  

"As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, "I will follow you wherever you go." But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head." He said to another person, "Come follow me." The man agreed, but he said, "Lord, first let me return home and bury my father." But Jesus told him, "Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God." Another said, "Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say goodbye to my family." But Jesus told him, "Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God."" (Luke 9:57-62 NLT) 

"Our Heavenly Home!" - Too

 "For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country." (Hebrews 11:14 KJV)

  "Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God - his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."" (1 Corinthians 2:6-9 NLT)

 Looking at it from a little different vantage point, God has been telling us throughout all the Old Testament Scriptures what He has been planning, ever since to beginning; it just wasn't made plainly seen until Jesus Christ came and made all those dots into a picture, that made the mystery plainly seen! Yes, we still don't know everything; but we know enough to see the truth: and it is the Truth that sets us free!

 A message I heard the other day made me realize what that actually looks like, because Truth is the first article the is put on, for us to be dressed in the Armor of God. Truth is the Belt, with which everything else is made usable and with which we can hold both the Shield and the Sword, without having hold up something else; if you know what that looks might like.

 Without the Truth, there really is nothing else that is absolutely absolute! Without the Belt of Truth, you will have no way to completely and sincerely use all the other articles of The Armor of God, for real! 

  Your Breastplate of Righteousness will not shield your heart, because without Truth, you feel as though in your heart, that God has fully forgiven your sins. Your Shoes of Peace will wear out quickly, because without Truth, the Good News won't seem good enough to spread the Message. Your Shield of Faith won't shield you from the fiery darts, because without the Truth, your faith will not be strong enough to stop the devil, with his lies. Your Helmet of Salvation will not protect your mind, because without Truth, you will not truly believe as you should and will not really know His peace. And you're taking up of the Sword of the Spirit, without Truth, will not yield the power, the Word of God should yield!   

 What that all means, unconditionally and completely: With out the Truth, how can you truly believe that Heaven is your Home! Knowing the Truth means that we believe what God has written, and when we truly believe, then everything else will be perfectly fine, no matter what trials we might go through...

"For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for the Christ. So I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live." (Philippians 1:21-23 NLT) 

"Our Heavenly Home!"

"For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country." (Hebrews 11:14 KJV)

  "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT)

 Just to set the record straight, I make every effort to express the truth that is throughout the Bible, mostly because I believe it and know, without a doubt, it all is real and cannot be proven wrong; besides all of that, it gives me hope, that is keeping me filled with the joy, a joy this world can never give me! For those who might doubt that the Bible is really true, I would challenge you to read all of the prophecies that are written, just the ones about Jesus Christ, and then research when they were written; you will be amazed! 

 That said, this is the reason we never give up, no matter who says what, or how we might struggle over certain things we just don't understand, which are most likely many! There are so many different ways that people give up, whether it be personal or because of someone else, things just don't go the way they were expecting and feel they let down or abandoned. We are never alone! Everything that could go wrong in this world is because this isn't where be belong, our real home is in Heaven! 

 I truly hope that is what you believe, also, because it is the only real way that you can have peace in any storm and joy in every circumstance...

"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 be human hands." (2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT) 

"Seeing With Your Heart" - To

 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." (Hebrews 11:13 KJV) 

  "Hear my prayer, O LORD! Listen to my cries for help! Don't ignore my tears. For I am your guest - a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me." (PSALM 39:12 NLT) 

 As with almost every other person who loves the Lord, asking for help is sometimes hard to do; mostly because you feel as though He is already helping, so why try and mess things up, when you know that He is working all things for the good? Thankfully, I truly believe that He loves that we ask Him for help! As a matter of fact, He has made it perfectly clear throughout the entire Bible: "Call on Me, and I will listen!" 

 Hopefully we can all agree that is true, and He really does care about all the things we are dealing with, here on this place we call earth. By the way, earth is about eight light-minutes away from the sun; so, if you really want to worry about anything, that might be an interesting subject to deal with. Fortunately, I know somebody that has it all taken care of, at least for a while! 

 The whole point in all of this, has to do with our ability to totally and completely trust in God, no matter what! We might not know what tomorrow brings, but we can be absolutely certain about the future! At least that is what I'm going with, because the Bible tells me so...

"Therefore, I will always remind you about these things - even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live. For the Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone. For we are not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy." We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shinning in a dark place - until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts." (2 Peter 1:12-19 NLT)     

"Seeing With Your Heart"

 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." (Hebrews 11:13 KJV) 

  "The crowd responded, "We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man anyway?" Jesus replied, "My light will shine for you just a little while longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light." After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them." (John 12:34-36 NLT)

 Last night Pastor Bryan shared something that was interesting about his travels, as he told us that he takes his wife with him the first time he goes to a new location, like Nepal; so that when he goes there again to do ministry, she will picture where he is at, feeling somewhat connected with him. I thought that was really something really close to what I shared the other day, about the dream God gave to Abraham, when He showed him how his descendants would be slaves in a foreign land for 400 years, making Abraham remember they were real and they were always seen in his heart.

 That reminds of a song we use to sing, many years ago: "Open the eyes of my heart." There really is something that takes place in us, when we actually open up our hearts to not only believe, but receive what we are longing for and make it something real in our hearts! Something to think about, when you are feeling a little down and think you are alone.

 You are never alone! You might think you are, but that is just your mind that creates the illusion that tries to trick you, making feel as though it is safe to do whatever you want. There really is a big difference between believing and receiving; when you know He is living in you, you pay closer attention to what you are doing! It is really a matter of the heart...

"But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: "LORD, who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?" But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said, "The LORD has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts - so their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and have me heal them." Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah's glory. Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn't admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God." (John 12:37-43 NLT) 

"Faith That Endures"

 "All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:13-16 NLT) 

  ""Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."" (John 14:1-4 KJV)

 I know that I can sometimes get carried away and be, shall we say, over the edge; but this little heart of mine really does want to shine, so I keep trying to let it! When I first started this blog, it basically was to just become something that included Marianne and me, and this spectacular journey. If you have been able to see the home page, then you would maybe have noticed we were in a motorhome, which was one of the times we were leaving on a trip. 

 If you look closely enough, there is a caption up in the left-hand corner, below our names that says, "Count it all Joy!!!." What else can we possibly do? What a miserable life we would be having if all we did was complain and feel as though life was over. When I really can actually have joy in knowing that God is working in both of our lives, for His will and purposes! 

 I don't really get to see everything that God is doing, but I do know that He is doing something and that there will come a time when everything will be revealed, because He has said so. In the meantime, we are meant to rejoice and be glad for what we have been given; even if it doesn't aways feel good, God is always good, no matter what! 

 I have said it before, and I will keep believing it is so: God will absolutely heal my wife, this much I am very sure of, one way or another, she will be totally healed! In the meantime, we must count it all joy, and keep looking forward to that glorious home...

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many people." (1 Timothy 6:12 KJV) 

"God of Wonders"

 "Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable." (Hebrews 11:12 KJV)

  "Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping - believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, "That's how many descendants you will have!" And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead - and so was Sarah's womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God's promises. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises." (Romans 4:18-21 NLT)

 As I was thinking about this, somewhat wonderful promise, I could only imagine what it was like for Abraham to gaze up at the stars, seeing that amazing sight, and imagining his descendants filling those skies. What an amazing sight that could have been! As it is now here at my house, I can almost count the stars in the sky, because of the light pollution that drowns out the light of the stars. 

 Being in the pest control industry has made me realize over the years that even the smallest creatures have amazing characteristics, like mites, for example. One time I was at a conference for our industry, when I was given a free magnifying glass that had a light. I saw a small speck on the table and took a look under the glass and saw the strangest looking creature. It had spikes all over its body and almost looked as if it was prehistoric in nature. The thing was a Dust Mite! Which was something my mother always warned me about, saying, "Clean up the dust under or bed, or you will have Dust Mites!" 

 There is just something about God's creation that makes it impossible to not believe that He is a God of Wonders! Once you realize how amazing God is and how incredible He designed everything to work and how He holds everything together, you can only be convinced that He is able to do whatever He promises to do, always and forever...

"Praise the LORD, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. For he loves us with unfailing love; the LORD'S faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD!" (PSALM 117 NLT)   

"The Living Hope"

 "Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised." (Hebrews 11:11 KJV)

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

 Okay, so we looked at what Sarah did that was wrong, but now we need to try to understand how God is able to make things right, even for those who might doubt Him, He always has a way! If God says that Sarah was going to conceive, then there is no doubt, she will have a son! Furthermore, the birth of her son was real to her, after Haggar conceived, she repented having made that choice; and when she laughed, it was to herself, but God called her out anyways; so, she knew then, that He wasn't kidding!  

 Having some doubts about doing things God might be asking us to do, is really not all that uncommon; there are always obstacles and hardships that are in the way, but every hardship and obstacle is the way God increases our faith and gives us the reason to trust in Him, more and more. Faith is not our doing; it is God's doing through us! 

 I will never forget Pastor Gary's message about learning how to drown. As he was illustrating what it looked like, he was leaning away from his pulpit, almost as if he was floating on water. The point he was making was that of what most people do when they are drowning, they fight it, and the lifeguard that tries to save them will just let them drown; otherwise, they might get hurt themselves. 

 God obviously won't be hurt trying to save us, but we must surrender and fall into His arms! It really isn't that we give up; instead, we give it all to God...

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (1 Peter 5:6-7 NLT)  

"Sarah was Able!"

  "It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead - a nation with so many people that, as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them." (Hebrews 11:11-12 NLT)

  "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed to you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 1:4-8 KJV)

 With some kind of humility, I will try to illustrate what this all means, and why Paul's statement to the church in Corinth has any sort of connection with what we might see in Hebrews 11:11. If you know what kind of things Sarah did, which were wrong, then you would also know that she really didn't think that God was going to give her the ability to have a child. 

 Looking at the obvious things that stand out, the fact that she laughed when she heard God tell her husband that she was going to give birth, was made known to Abraham, because God knew and heard her laugh at what He said. The other very obvious thing she did that was wrong, was offering her handmaiden to Abraham, saying that maybe God was talking about it being her, since they were somewhat connected. Obviously, Abraham was okay with that offering and didn't make an argument over it.  

 This might be a surprise to some, but God used this blunder for good; as it was, the offspring from the child born from Hagar, Ishmael, actually were the traders that came by when Josheph was in the pit. His brothers sold him to them, and they took him and traded him in Egypt. Which then turned into the whole family of Jacob being saved from the famine.

 This was also the connection to the dream that God gave Abraham, telling him about his descendants being slaves for 400 years in a foreign land. God really can make our mistakes work for the good...

"And we know thar all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purposes. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn of many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:28-31 KJV)  

"The Better Promise!"

 "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." (Hebrews 11:10 KJV)

  "For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthy body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands." (2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT)

 Not that it makes me give up, but this thing that I do every morning isn't to gain followers or even get some kind of admiration, so it really doesn't bother me if nobody pays attention or cares what I say. This is just something I chose to do, because it keeps me going, day after day! Something is better than nothing, because there were just too many times when I failed to keep my fellowship with the Lord consistent; especially something I did each and every morning, no matter what! 

 The point of yesterday's post was to show how God gave Abraham a vision of what his descendants will go through, which, I believe made Abraham feel for them and care about them: which, actually made him fervently believe they were his offsprings and God was absolutely going to fulfill His promise, no matter what. As for the agreement, or contract that God made with Abraham, it was only two things which passed through the pieces that were on the ground, as the Bible says: "After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses." (Genesis 15:17 NLT) 

 This reminds me of the rainbow which God places in the sky, as a reminder of His promise to never again flood the entire earth. As it has been told, in the original writing, it says, bow, not rainbow. Therefore, if it is His bow that is seen, the bow is pointed upward, towards heaven. Which way will the arrow go the next time He performs judgement on the whole entire earth? Who will be the One who receives His judgement? 

 What an awesome and amazing God we serve...   

""No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him."" (John 3:13-17 NLT)   

"Believing the Promise"

 "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:" (Hebrews 11:9 KJV)

  "This was Stephen's reply: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appealed to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia before he settled in Haran. God told him, 'Leave your native land and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you. So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and lived Haran until his father died. Then God brought him here to the land where you now live.

 "But God gave him no inheritance here, not even a square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole land would belong to Abraham and his descendants - even though he had no children yet. God also told him that his descendants would live in a foreign land, where they would be oppressed as slaves for 400 years. 'But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,' God said, 'and in the end they will come out and worship me here in this place.'"" (Acts 7:2-7 NLT)

 If you have been following this blog for a while, (over a decade ago,) then you might have recalled this message, one which I shared at church, regarding the time God made a covenant with Abraham. As it was, God told Abraham to lay out a portion of dead animals, cut them in half, all except the birds, and they would sign a covenant together. 

 Basically, the way it was meant to work in those days, was the men who made a covenant to each other, would walk among the dead animals, promising to each other, saying, 'Let this, and more, be done to me, if I neglect to keep my part in this covenant.' However, God caused Abraham to go to sleep, while He performed the covenant on His own! If you really think about it, that might have been a covenant the Father made with the Son, who would be a descendant of Abraham many years later. 

 Anywho, the main point of this moment was when God gave Abraham a dream, the one that Stephen was sharing to those who were going to stone him. As I shared before the church, this was God's way to give Abraham more faith about the promise, as he became more positive of their existence, seeing how they would be slaves for 400 years, feeling sadness for them; and seeing them redeemed, and back in the land of promise. 

 As I was saying yesterday morning, God makes a way, one way or another...

"This is what the LORD says: "You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."" (Jeremiah 29:10-11 NLT)    

"God's Choice!"

 "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." (Hebrews 11:8 KJV)

  "Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the LORD. Search for the LORD and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given, you children of his servant Abraham, you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones." (PSALM 105:1-6 NLT)

 There is a very special reason I shared what I did yesterday, because the main reason Abraham did what he did, is pretty much like everyone else does: We have doubts! I'm not saying that Abraham didn't have faith, because for the most part he tried to do what God said, even though he sometimes made wrong choices!

 And with that, everything that Abraham did, that was wrong, God used it for good, in one way or another! There are so many examples of this, more than I think we can ever know: as I believe it also works with all of us, that try to serve the Lord in every way we know how, but from time to time we make mistakes and give God a reason to use those mistakes for good; most of which we will never see in our lifetime! 

 Some simple examples are seen in the things we don't see, like the little things that become a really big deal, once they take place. Take Lot for instance, as it was Abraham's choice to bring his nephew Lot on his journey, even though God's call to him only involved his immediate family. Yet, it was one of Lot's daughters that had a son she named Moab, which centuries later brought Ruth into the picture, who was the grandmother of king David. 

 All that I am trying to say, is that this was God's choice to call Abraham, with all his faults and all his wrong choices, God choose him because He had a plan that could not fail, because in was His choice! What He chooses to do, it gets done, one way or another...

"He is the LORD our God. His justice is seen throughout the land. He always stands by his covenant - the commitment he made to a thousand generations. This is the covenant he made with Abraham and the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, and to the people of Israel and a never-ending covenant: "I will give you the land of Cannan as your special possession."" (PSALM 105:7-11 NLT)   

"The Faith of Abraham"

   "It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith - for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God." (Hebrews 11:8-10 NLT)

  "Now the LORD said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from the kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: and I will make thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:1-3 KJV)

 Having realized how hard it is to trust in the promises of God, we must understand that trust is a product of faith; without faith, there is no way that we can trust and believe in the promises of God, no matter how good they might sound, if we don't have the faith to believe, we will struggle to have trust in what God has promised. Yes, Abram left home as he was told, but the journey was not without failure to trust that God was protecting him and was going to fulfill the promise. 

 A little example of what that looks like, was when he went to Abram went to Egypt, telling his wife to pretend to be his sister, so that no one would try to kill him, as they might want to take her...

"And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold, now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee." (Genesis 12:11-13 KJV)

"Noah's Commission"

 "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." (Hebrews 11:7 KJV)

  ""No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house."" (Luke 11:33 NLT)

  We can only imagine what it might have been like for Noah's struggle, with not only building the ark, but dealing with those who were arguing against what he was doing. Some scholarly estimates say it was 50 to 75 years that it took for Noah to build that Ark; while others say it could have been 120 years. Yet, the general belief is placing it around 100; as it is believed that Noah was 500 years old when God told him to build it, and he was 600 years old when God sealed him in it and flooded the earth. 

 Whatever it was, there must have been challenges that caused him to take so long; most likely, he himself may have had doubts from time to time, as to what he was doing. For whatever reason, a hundred years is a pretty long lifetime for anyone in this current age; one can only imagine the ups and downs anyone might go through in the amount of time. 

 This is one of the main reasons that many of us believe in the pre-tribulation rapture, not only Enoch's departure, but that God protected and sealed Noah inside the ark, saving him from the judgement that was about to take place on the whole earth. There are so many reasons for us to believe that the rapture will come; more and more, we see this earth is getting closer and closer; just when we think it has gotten better, it goes seriously worse and out of control. 

 Noah had been given a commission to not only build the ark, but to also save his family; something we all should try and do, because they need us to shine the Light! And right now, in this time we are living in, that Light needs to shine brightly...

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes - the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, " It is through faith that a righteous person has life."" (Romans 1:16-17 NLT)   

"Noah's Big Boat"

 "It is by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith." (Hebrews 11:7 NLT)

  "And it came to pass at end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came to me saying, Son of Man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." (Ezekiel 3:16-19 KJV)

 If you didn't know this, almost every continent on this earth has some version of great flood, and the boat that Noah built to save the animals and his family. This was a really big deal to God; something that He was grieved over, but He had to do it, even though it grieved His heart. 

 It is said that it took Noah almost 100 years to build the Ark, and he was 600 years old when he and his family entered the Ark. You really can't imagine what it was like for him, as those around him, mocked him and made fun of him, because he prepared for the way to be saved from the flood.

 It had never rained before, so just him warning them about what was going to happen, was something that they could not believe; let alone, their lack of fear that they had for God! Genesis 6:5 says, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." 

 Yesterday, we had Pastor Mike share at our church service. He also spoke at our Men's Conference on Saturday, when he made references to the fact that these United States will not be the same place it once was, very soon; because of the wickedness that is taking over, in almost every way, and in every form. This is something that I have noticed too but was hoping that President Trump could slow down the wickedness; at least a little!

 Unfortunately, the wickedness is rising up underground, almost as if it isn't really noticed by many people. We that know the truth, know that the prince of this earth is the devil; and that he is the one that is causing all this, so called wickedness; of which, more and more of our citizens don't think that it is really that wicked! 

 Pastor Mike is making sure that he doesn't remain silent, because he knows that he will be held accountable, if he remains silent. Surprisingly, yet not so much, many of those who are believers, will hear is words and mock him, thinking he is just making it up. That is a lot like Noah's warnings that the earth was going to flood; yet no one listened or believed him...

"Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the righteous man, the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he was warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul." (Ezekiel 3:20-21 KJV)    

"The Historical Challenge!" - Again

 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

  "As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced," Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"" (Romans 10:11-15 NLT)

 Maybe there is something more that needs to be addressed in this; something that requires us to pause and think hard about what it is that we are meant to do, even though we may not want to do it. Why are we here on this earth, if we have been saved and this is no longer our home? One of the things which Pastor Mike said yesterday really caused me to take a good look at my life, realizing that my ability to stop and take some time to let God use me, is taking over by me rushing from place to place, all day long! 

 When I pray in the mornings, I try to make it my privilege to ask God to do His will in my life, as if it is a request that I am willing to always fulfill. But how do we know what His will is, if we don't have time to be interrupted, because of the busyness that we put first in our lives? When it comes to serving the Lord, we must be prepared for interruptions and be able to stop for things that are more important than this worldly life! 

 The instance that was set forth as a challenge, was to prepare ourselves to be interrupted, because that is how God gets us to share the most, by placing someone in front of us, that needs us to speak or pray for them. This is something I really focused on when I first got saved; as a matter of fact, I usually expected to have encounters, knowing and believing that God had given me a purpose! 

 Life seems to take over in those times, unless we stay focused on what God wants, and less focused upon what we might think that we need. It is really not difficult to be distracted in this world, not able to trust God's purposes and will for our lives. Just a few months of setting into our own plans, is enough to cause us to change our priorities: which also leads to losing faith in God's calling upon our lives. 

 Within this verse, from Hebrews 11:6, there three very particular reasons that the writer has placed this verse where is has been placed. The first of which is faith, that we must always keep believing, no matter what might be happening in our lives, it our responsibility as a believer to trust that God is good, no matter what! Secondly that HE IS! That might not seem any different from the first, but we must not forget that He doesn't change! If He called you and choose you, He knew you inside and out, from before you were even born, until the time you leave this earth! 

 We are all bound to mess up, from time to time; but anything that happens in our lives, God has already known, even before you have done it; yet He does not change His mind! You were adopted and place withing His family, and He is not going to throw you away! We must always keep believing that we are still His, even though we might not feel as though we deserve it, because in reality, we never did! It was a gift from God that we received, we could never earn it! 

 And thirdly, that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him! What an amazing God we serve! The thing that should give us the most hope, is that He is the one who pays the wages! As the Bible clearly says, "The wage of sin is death," yet He promises life to us, and life abundantly! And it is because we believe in Him and have made Him the LORD of our lives!

 Does that always mean that we are perfect and never make mistakes; absolutely not! But God never does, and He is the one that chooses us to be His children; and that is why we diligently seek Him. Not that we don't already know Him, but that we need to know Him more and more! His love is always bigger than we can ever imagine...

"My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises will all my heart. Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, LORD, among all the people. I will sing of your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth." (PSALM 108:1-5 NLT) 

"The Historical Challenge!" - Too

 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn't God, for he is the one who called you to freedom." (Galatians 5:4-8 NLT)

 Just so you know, I had not tried to compare myself with Jonah; I was simply showing how God takes certain steps to make us listen and know that He is the One that has control! As we shall see in just about every single saint listed in the Hall of Faith, it is God that calls them and leads their lives; anything that they might do wrong, He has already prepared something for His will and purposes. 

 Not to keep repeating myself, but when I was going to court for my last conviction, I was reading the Family Bible one morning, trying to search for a way to correct my life and get a place for my wife and son. We were living with my mother at the time, because we were kicked out of our apartment, for being arrested for selling drugs. My wife and my mother really weren't getting along, and it was really not a very pleasant situation. 

 When I finally arrived at the facility that I sentenced to, I noticed that they had a church on the property; and I tried very hard to avoid going near it. I had one of those small New Testament Bibles, and that alone was all I felt I needed; as it was, I really didn't want to be part of any religion, I just wanted to believe in God and be left alone. 

 And then God decided differently; and arranged for someone to see me give money to my wife during a visit; which then led to me getting jumped for money, that I had already given away. It was not really that big of a deal to me, I wasn't really harmed too much, so I just moved on. But then, (so I believe,) God arranged for another inmate to go to the office and tell them what had happened. I was called up to the office over the loudspeaker, (another act of God,) and when I got to the office, they told me that I was being sent to another place, because those who jumped me, might think that I told on them, because I was called to the office.

 You just can't make this stuff up! On top of all of that, when I got to the new place, there was no church on the property. The way I see it, I let my guard down, not feeling threatened by anyone trying to make me change my ways. 

 And then one Sunday morning, God arranged for someone to announce something, again, over the loudspeaker! Again, with the loudspeaker! It was the loudspeaker that got me to where I was; and it was the loudspeaker that called to where I needed to be! That is the day that I got saved!

 There is really no other way I can say this, but God makes a way to get His Way...

"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 this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" "Who are you, lord?" Saul asked. And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go to the city, and you will be told what you must do."" (Acts 9:1-6 NLT)