Easter Words - Betrayed

Blog - Easter Words “Betrayed” Betrayed is a hurtful word. Just to say the word brings feelings of hurt, incomprehension, mistrust and sorrow for that relationship which cannot ever be the same again. Saying the word in jest, or with a sneer, or with a sorrowful voice, it doesn’t matter how you say it there is deceit and sorrow in the word. Do you feel you have ever been betrayed at some time by a friend, your spouse, your child, or even your government? Webster says to betray is “to deliver into the hands of an enemy, to lead astray or to desert in time of need.” Jesus certainly knew the feelings of betrayal, but He knew those “friends,” this night, this time in history, this place, this pain – all was prophesied. This was the night and the time for the “King of the Jews” to be betrayed. This night was meant to be a time of meditation and remembering. This Pass-over night was to be celebrated with special foods, with special friends, in a prepared place. But as the fulfillment of prophecy would make it, this night became the night of great loss for Jesus, part of which was never to be gained again. It was to be the eternal loss of one of twelve of Jesus’ closest friends, Judas Iscariot, loss temporarily of all of His other friends and family. He had to bear this loss alone. All the disciples slept while Jesus agonized in prayer over the coming events, but Jesus recognized the betrayal was soon to be completed, “Get up, let us be going” See, My betrayer is at hand!” Even as He was speaking, the betrayer came with a great crowd of especially wicked sinners whose nature was to act in opposition to God. They had swords and clubs. Betrayers are always cowards who hide behind someone or something else to do their “dirty” work. Jesus had trusted His betrayer with the group’s money bag – Judas was the treasurer. He could have at any time taken any or all of this small group’s money to keep for his own, if he chose. Isn’t it ironic that it was money, just 30 pieces of silver, that was the betrayal barter used to buy Judas. Judas was to hand Jesus over to the “haters” in exchange for these few coins. To demonstrate how very deceitful this betrayer was, he preplanned his hypocrisy with a friendly greeting, an embrace and a kiss of pretended warmth and devotion, to signify the certain one to be taken. Even then Jesus called Judas, “Friend, – for what reason are you here?” (Jesus knew the answer.) But Jesus went willingly, as a Lamb to the slaughter, although Jesus could have appealed to His Father and He would have provided more than twelve legions (80,000 angels), but He did not in order that all the scriptures might be fulfilled. So all this must come about. All these happenings were prophesied and fulfilled in Matt.26:1-57. Were there other betrayers among the twelve? Matthew 26:56 says, “Then all the disciples deserted Him and fleeing, escaped.” Was that betrayal? Verse fifty eight says that Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s home; and even went into the courtyard to watch as Jesus was accused, spit upon, and struck with fists and slapped in His face. While sitting and watching in the courtyard a maid came to Peter and accused him of being with Jesus the Galilean, but Peter denied (he lied). He went out to the porch where another maid saw him and also said he had been with the Nazarene. Peter again denied it and disowned Jesus with an oath (I guess to make emphasis??), saying he did not know the Man. Later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “You certainly are one of them too, for even your accent betrays you.” Peter began to invoke a curse on himself and swear, “I do not even know the Man!” After the third denial a rooster crowed as prophesied by Jesus. And Peter remembered Jesus’ words, and he went out and wept bitterly. Did Peter betray Jesus? You answer this for yourself. Did the other twelve betray Jesus when they ran away when confronted with arrest and possible death? You answer. Do we, in myriad and sometimes like ways, betray Jesus by our denial of being “one of His?” Do we betray Him by failing to support His cause? Do we betray Him by failing to walk a godly life and fail to point others to the only One Who can give them salvation now and forever? Do we betray Him by failing to stand alone when others (maybe all others) will not stand for Christ? Is there enough evidence against us to convict us of being a Christian, a Christ follower? After the deed was done Judas, the betrayer, became very remorseful – but it was too late to undo what had been done. It isn’t remorse that saves anyone. Judas could have been saved if he would have only confessed his horrific sin, repented and asked for forgiveness. When Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was afflicted in mind and troubled for his former folly; and with remorse (which was little more than a selfish dread of the consequences, and hopefully a realization of the Truth about Jesus), he brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” They replied, “What is that to us? See to that yourself.” Were the Betrayer’s last thoughts not only of remorse but of the true price of betraying the One Who loved Him most. Did Judas have remorse for betraying the only one who could change his darkness into light; and change him from being a “betrayer” to being a kind, loving, loyal and devoted friend; and, most of all, the only One Who could save Him eternally. And casting the pieces of silver into the holy place of the sanctuary of the temple, he departed; and he went off and hanged himself (Matt 27:3-5 Amp.). Erwin Lutzer said that the gate to hell is right by the gate to heaven. Judas took the wrong path. Judas’ epitaph would have been, “It would have been better for this man if he had not been born.” For us we can say, “Unless I have been born twice, it would be better if I had not been born at all.” Although Jesus Christ was betrayed He continued to love and now He lives and enables us to love although we have been betrayed, hurt, disillusioned, rejected and despised - so was He! If I Gained The World But Lost The Savior Anna Olander If I gained the world, but lost the Savior, Were my life worth living for a day? Could my yearning heart find rest and comfort, In the things that soon must pass away? If I gained the world, but lost the Savior, Would my gain be worth the lifelong strife? Are all earthly pleasures worth comparing, For a moment with a Christ-filled life. Had I wealth and love in fullest measure, And a name revered both far and near, Yet no hope beyond, no harbor waiting, Where my storm-tossed vessel I could steer; If I gained the world, but lost the Savior, Who endured the cross and died for me, Could then all the world afford a refuge, Whither, in my anguish, I might flee? O what emptiness!—without the Savior, ’Mid the sins and sorrows here below! And eternity, how dark without Him! Only night and tears and endless woe! What, though I might live without the Savior, When I come to die, how would it be? O to face the valley’s gloom without Him! And without Him all eternity! O the joy of having all in Jesus! What a balm the broken heart to heal! Ne’er a sin so great, but He’ll forgive it, Nor a sorrow that He does not feel! If I have but Jesus, only Jesus, Nothing else in all the world beside— O then everything is mine in Jesus; For my needs and more He will provide.

Easter Words - Adore, Agony, Alone

“Adore Him for His Agony Which He Suffered Alone” As we approach the most significant day of the year to the Christian, and deeply and meditatively look at the total picture of the price that was paid for our redemption, for our salvation, for our deliverance, and for our hope of eternal life. We must adore Him for this incomprehensible love of the Father toward us; what can we possibly do but fall on our faces before Him and just Adore Him for being willing to go through such Agony. He could have called tens of thousands of angels to deliver Him, but instead He endured the Agony that was set before Him and prophesied hundreds of years before - it was the Father’s will. Jesus knew before His ordeal began that one of His own apostles, His own family, the leaders of His church, and even some of his disciples (His followers), and His friends. He was alone! Webster’s definition of adore is “to worship, to bow down, to serve.” We say we adore, someone we admire and for whom we have great affection. Our feelings of admiration and caring may be very great toward another person, but if we have ever truly “fallen-in-love” with Jesus, we cannot truly adore another in the true sense of the word. When we consider and accept all the Father did for us through Jesus Christ, we are compelled to bow down our knee, our will, our desires, hopes and dreams, and our whole heart to Him and desire and seek how we can serve Him in spirit and in truth. We are compelled to adore Him by putting Christ first in our lives – to love Him with all our heart, soul and intellect (Mt. 22:37). We must not have anything before Him in our hearts, He must have first place. To adore Him we must keep our minds “fixed” on Him, and regard Him with our devotion (our love and loyalty). As we adore Him, our meditations, our words and our actions should intentionally bring honor to Him Who did so much for us. As the Christmas carol says, “O come let us adore Him!” If we could only realize the agony of the life and death of Jesus! Even before the crucifixion, Christ agonized over those who would not come to him for salvation, comfort, provision and peace, just like a mother fowl gathers her brood under her wings. But His sobbing cry was “You would not” (Matt.23:37, 38). Who were these people who brought such agony of soul to their one and only hope for anything worthwhile in this life? They were the spiritually blind Pharisees, the soldiers who were just obeying orders, Pilate, the prideful church leaders; and even YOU AND I, at times!

I Remember Mama

March 6, 2014 I’m sure almost everyone thinks their mother is “the best,” but I feel very grateful to have had the mother God gave me. She had all the qualities of a Proverb 31 woman. She was faithful and loving, creative and artistic, innovative and resourceful, industrious and steadfast and truly a wonderful example of what a godly mother should be. Mother was born in 1902, the youngest of 5. She was born and lived with her family in Calumet, Oklahoma, near an Indian reservation. (Do you remember the Calumet baking powder with an Indian on the front?). She had many stories to tell about having Indians as neighbors and friends. I loved to sit as a child and listen to her and my older siblings relate strange tales about the ways of the Indians, like raising dogs for meat and a few other dietary delicacies I will not mention. Mother was not only a wonderful mother but as I became an adult she was a wonderful friend. After I was married we moved to Texas from Oklahoma and I would call her nearly every Saturday morning to talk. We exchanged recipes and whatever was going on in our lives at the time. We shared a love for the Word of God and the hope we had in Jesus and would talk about how God was working in our lives and answering our prayers. Those talks and watching a faith filled life turn crisis after crisis into victories, made an indelible etching on my heart and life. Not many knew that Mother was an artist. She had an ear for music and played the organ as a young person. She also could draw. I remember when I was in high school I needed some posters for our class play. I asked Mother if she could help me, not knowing she had this latent talent. She drew several funny and whimsical caricatures without even looking at a picture. My posters won first place. With nine children she never had time to develop her talents or hobbies as she could have. She unselfishly devoted her life to her family. Mother loved beautiful things: flowers, fine china, clothes, etc. She was never wealthy but she could take the simple things she had and create something lovely. Even her table settings were works of art. Because of an unfortunate event that happened when my parents were young, Mother had to become the chief caretaker and eventually the breadwinner for 5 of the younger children, including me (I was the third from the youngest). My Dad, we called him Papa (at his request), was lost in an Oklahoma snow storm on his way into town. He had on a cap that, Mother said, “It was always too tight for him,” but it was all he had to wear. When they found him he was already in a coma in which he remained for 5-6 days. The doctors told mother that if he lived he would probably have brain damage from nearly freezing to death and from the tight cap which caused a lack of oxygen to his brain. Papa was never the same after that. The damage affected the part of the brain that reasons and makes judgments. His whole personality changed. Before he was a very hard working man but after the accident he showed no responsibility toward his family or life in general. Therefore Mother had to become the main one to keep the family together. My oldest brother, who was 13, and being the only boy at the time, had to take over all the outside chores, including planting and harvesting crops, milking the cows and many myriad other chores that had to be done on a farm. My next to oldest sister would help Allen with the outside chores while my oldest sister would help Mother in the house with chores and care for the younger children. Mother learned to be very innovative. She was still a young mother when the “great depression” and the “dust bowl” days happened. I wasn’t born yet but was told that during this time my family lived, literally, from “hand to mouth,” never knowing from where the next meal would come. But Mother learned to be very creative when presented with any challenge. Papa came home one day with a large amount of turnips. Since there was nothing else to eat for several days, Mother came up with all kinds of new ways to fix turnips. Not surprisingly, my older siblings do not like turnips to this day. Just to let you see a child’s priority in the poverty people experienced during that time I will quote from a manuscript my older brother, Allen, wrote of “the good ol’ days.” He wrote, “I had never had a candy bar and Papa promised me one if I passed all my subjects in the 6th grade. Well, I passed and got a Baby Ruth candy (5c then). I think I made it last a week. I savored every bite. In those days, once in a great while, we would get a stick of gum. Every night we would stick it on the bed post and chew it again the next day until it was like chewing a tasteless piece of rubber.” I know how it must have hurt Mother’s heart to see her children so deprived of the simplest joys of childhood. But a lot were as deprived as we were so we didn’t know we were as poor as church mice. As many farm women did, Mother would take the flour sacks, which were printed with flowers or checks or plaids, and make the girls dresses and Papa and Allen shirts. All were in style since everyone else was wearing flour sack clothes also. I was born soon after papa’s near-death accident and remember just a little of his abusive and irresponsible ways. He sold our farm and moved to town when I was three. After living in a few houses, Papa, with the money from the sale of the farm, bought us a nice, large, brick home on several lots where we had room to play and Mother could have her garden. Our house was across the street from the school and we children spent many hours on the school grounds playing on the swings and merry-go-round. Some time after moving into town Mother’s parents died leaving her and her siblings a rather large inheritance from the sale of their large wheat farm. Papa had Mother sign all her inheritance over to him and he took the money and went to “the valley” in south Texas to buy property and move us all down there. He would be gone for months at a time but never bought any property. He would come home and stay for a short while and leave again. Eventually the money was all gone. Some of my older siblings thought maybe Papa had gambled the money away – no one knew. I am not sure how Mother provided for all of her children during this time except that my older siblings were old enough to work and helped provide for all the younger ones. When the city planned to pave the streets every homeowner had to pay for half the cost in front of their house. Since we owned several lots and lived on the corner there was no way Mother could pay her share of the paving so she put our home up for sale. She bought an old frame house on the other side of town that had been moved in from somewhere else. After paying for our frame home, Mother had enough money left to have the house painted and carpet laid in the living and dining room, but it didn’t fill in the cracks around the outside floor boards, and the continuous Oklahoma wind would whistle through the cracks. It was also an easy entry for small varmints. I was in the third grade when we made our move across “the tracks.” We didn’t have trains but we had an inurbane which ran right down the middle of Main Street. It ran from our town, Bethany, east to Oklahoma City, where a lot of our town’s people worked, and I worked after I became old enough. By that time the electric inurbane had been replaced with an inurbane bus. Because there was no high school at the country, one-room school where Mother attended and my grandparents couldn’t afford to send her away to boarding school, she only attended through the eighth grade. So now at this time in her life when Papa wasn’t home and sent her very little money, she must work to make a living for the seven children still at home. She did what she knew to do very well – wash and iron clothes for others. We lived in a college town and only a block from the college, so the college boys became her patrons. But there were not enough of the young men who could afford to have their clothes washed and ironed to fill Mother’s need for her large family. So Mother found a job at a laundry around the corner from where we lived where she stood on hard concrete floors, in heat and cold, 8-10 hours a day washing and ironing for others. After working these long hours she would come home to fix supper and take care of all the household chores that needed to be done. The older children still at home had jobs after school so could offer little help. We younger ones did what we could. So was the life of a single, uneducated mother in those days. There was no “welfare” in those days - Mother would not have taken it anyway. She just trusted the Lord for every day’s needs. And God was always faithful. I don’t remember ever going without something to eat. We always had a hot breakfast, probably oatmeal, I don’t remember. We children walked to and from school, morning, noon for lunch, and evening. Mother took her lunch period and was always at home at lunch time. I can never remember having anything to eat at lunch but pinto beans and fried potatoes – and I still love them. In the evening we had a sandwich, no chips and dip, etc. When the weather was too bad to come home at lunch time we got a quarter to eat at “the Stand.” This was a small, one room building, not a part of but next to the school. This quarter would buy a hotdog, bag of chips and a pop. Since we never got these “delicacies” at home it was a treat to have bad weather, although, after school we had to walk home in that bad weather. (Because of these circumstances none of us had a weight problem). Martha, my only living sister, has told me how after she had graduated from high school she got a job at the telephone company. She gave Mother what she could of her paycheck to help with expenses. Many days after riding the bus home from Oklahoma City, she would get home later after our supper had been eaten and she would find “nothing” in the “ice box.”(An ice box was simply that…a metal box with two doors, one in which to put a large block of ice, the other side for groceries). Before Mother had to go outside our home to work she sewed all our clothes, but just didn’t have the time when working. There is one exception to this. At Christmas time each of us smaller children would get a new pair of pajamas. The older children who worked were able to buy a few clothes but the younger ones all wore hand-me-downs from the older siblings or neighbors. One of the few pictures I have of me as a small child (about 6 or 7) was of me in one of my “hand-me-downs.” The dress was much too big and I looked like a little refugee. But it was always like Christmas when our neighbor’s gave us some of her old clothes. Our neighbor, Mr. Hagen, was a plumber so they had considerably more than most. Rose was their only child, a little on the plump side and about six years older than I, so her clothes didn’t exactly fit me. My sister just older than I wouldn’t wear Rose’s clothes so I got them, and was glad to get them, although they didn’t fit. Never did I hear one word of complaint from Mother, not even saying she was tired and never did I hear a negative word against Papa, even after he died, 25 years before she went home to be with the Lord. In fact, I did not know the whole story of why Papa was like he was until I was grown and married. Mother just didn’t talk about it. She just lived her faith – to love, forgive and trust the Father for her provision, spirit, soul and body. Mother was industrious, not just when times were hard and trying to rear nine children, but even in her older years she was busy with something constructive. Although she had to work outside our home until her later years, she managed to find time to raise a vegetable garden every year and had many flowers, and even mow her own lawn. She also made her own clothes and curtains or anything else that was needed. When Mother was 81 she had a brain aneurysm, after mowing her lawn on a hot August day. She survived, after surgery, but it left her from being completely independent to being completely dependent, all without complaint but just an indomitable spirit to live with a rejoicing spirit with all her disabilities. She was in a nursing home in Oklahoma City, where she was greatly abusively neglected, I would go once a month a stay a week and after 6 months I could see that she was not going to last long with the neglect she was receiving. I talked with my three sisters there around Oklahoma City about bringing her home with me. They hesitantly agreed. I came home and told Wendell that I would like to bring her to our home to take care of her. He agreed, with trepidation, so we went back to Oklahoma City to get her. She was so glad to come and get into a loving and caring situation. We made her a bed in the back of our car. The nurse told us she would probably be sick, since she was always nauseous in the morning. We made preparation for her to be sick. We loaded her dishpan full of pills – everything from heart pills to sleeping pills. So, we began our seven hour trip to Marshall, Texas. I found out later that Wendell was very fearful that she could not even make the trip, but her Lord was riding in the back seat with her and she just rested in His lap. We hadn’t gone far before she became sick, but we were prepared. We found out later it was some of the medication, or combination of some that made her sick. Oh, how things changed, especially Mother and my roles. At first Mother had to be diapered, dressed, bathed, fed and turned in bed. I threw away nearly all her pills because I could see she didn’t need them. She gradually began to gain strength, weight and health. Each of her health problems I would face with fervent prayer for the Lord to show me what to do or not do. The Lord was faithful to my cries and one by one each problem was overcome or healed - from vertigo, incontinence and having to wear a catheter, learning to stand and then walk again, coming to the table and feeding herself and even going to church with us in a wheelchair. I finally got a home-health nurse who came three hours a day, five days a week, and would bathe her, feed her, straighten her room and anything else pertaining to Mother’s care. During these three hours I could get out and run errands or do anything else I wished. I must include one difficult problem I faced where the Lord gave me the determination to solve it and showed me what to do. Mother was always groomed and dressed with her best, but her straight hair was always a problem so before she became disabled she gave herself home permanents. After six months in a nursing home without any hair care, her hair was just pitiful. So since I had given myself perms since before I married, I had the curlers, bought a perm and decided to give her a perm. Since she couldn’t even sit up I devised a plan to put down a plastic sheet which was draped over the side of the bed, covering the mattresses and arranged into a large basin so the run-off water would run into the pan. Wendell helped me move her to where she was lying perpendicular on the bed with her head near the edge. I wish I had taken before/during and/ after pictures. After the perm was completed, I rolled her hair on brush rollers and put the hair dryer on her (all while she was lying flat in bed). It was a successful venture and I received a lot of joy from knowing she was going to get a lot of pleasure out of her curled coiffure. I would like to think that the “fixed” hair and make-up I put on her helped her get well faster. Mother always was a fun person and we had a lot of laughs together over those fifteen years she was with us. She loved to play games and when the family all went home to her house, we always ended up playing some kind of group games. After she came to live with us she still loved to play games with us and our friends. She was truly a “Proverb 31 Woman.” Her faith and trust in the Lord made an indelible imprint on my life. I still remember vividly a scene of a terrible storm going on outside. It was probably a tornado, with high winds, hail and deluges of rain – we had many in Oklahoma. All the while the storm was raging Mother was sitting at the dining room table mending some clothes as if the sun were shining outside and the birds were singing. We had no storm cellar or basement in which to go so Mother just trusted God to keep her family – and as always, He did! She influenced my life in so many ways but mostly in her love for and faith in God which I saw played out my entire life by the way she faced life with peace in her heart and praise in her words for her Savior, Who had never failed her in any of her most difficult times. Her life gave me a desire as a very young child to know that same Jesus, and He is proving to be as faithful to me as He was to her and will be to anyone who trusts Him. Mother went to be with Jesus about 2:20 p.m., September 29, 1998, after being bedfast for a year with crippling arthritis. She had macular degeneration and could no longer read or watch television. Her hearing had also degenerated so it was hard to converse with her. I would play musical tapes for her to enjoy and she would hum along. Her world had become dark, silent and painful, but not her spirit. At times I could hear her talking and knew she was conversing with Jesus. On the morning of, September 28, when Carolyn Ambercrombie, her health care provider, was there bathing and feeding her she called me into the bedroom because Mother was having trouble breathing. We rolled her hospital bed up but her difficulty continued and increased. I called her doctor and friend, Orin Littlejohn, and he said she had congestive heart failure. She had said she didn’t want life support and wanted to die at home so Dr. Littlejohn brought out a tank of oxygen, thinking it might help some, but it didn’t. I will eternally be grateful to his tender and personal home calls and care he gave Mother at this time. I had called Wendell home from school and after Carolyn left he and I took turns caring for Mother’s needs, which were constant. Her struggling went all through the day and into the night. About 11:00 p.m. she seemed to breathe easier and went to sleep. I made a pallet on the floor by her bed and also rested until about 2:30 a.m., the morning of the 29th. Her breathing had become very labored again, with all the residual symptoms that go with congestive heart failure. Wendell and my vigil with Mother went on until after 2:00 p.m. and she just stopped breathing. Her next good breath was when she was in the arms of Jesus. I remember not feeling grief but an unexplainable joy that she was running, laughing, praising and enjoying all the wonders of Heaven. She was not a 96 year old lady in Heaven but she was now ageless and didn’t count years anymore. Her body is not wasting and her pain is forever gone, spirit, soul and body!!! In recounting her last days I still grieve when I remember her suffering. Why did she have to suffer? Only God knows the answer and He told us, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome this world!” All because of Jesus she now has overcome this world – Hallelujah! I will always love and remember “Mama” for being the best mother ever and I thank and praise God for letting me be her daughter, and that I came to love and trust Jesus by watching her live. And now I must ask myself, “What will my legacy be to my family and my world?” My prayer is that all who come behind me will find me faithful!

The Cost of Discipleship - "How We Should Then Live" - Part 4 - Intentionally

“And let fall some handfuls on purpose.” (Ruth 2:16) One of my favorite radio programs is, “Intentional Living,” on Bott Radio Network. It is a teaching program with a different twist. A trained, Christian psychologist is the host and concentrates on a central topic for the day, all designed to teach how living intentionally as a way of life is the only way for a Christian to be an over-comer in this troubled world. He talks with people calling in with either a problem or how they solved their problem by being intentional in solving their problem. Webster defines intention as, “determining to act in a certain way, to voluntarily act with purpose.” To act intentionally is to act with the will. Many people, even Christians, don’t seem to know their purpose in life so how can they live intentionally to fulfill their purpose. The Westminster Shorter Catechism says our purpose is “To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” We as Christians must live intentionally in thought, word and deed to glorify God and by so doing we will enjoy Him forever. The wisest man to ever live said in Proverbs 23:7, “As a man thinks, so is he,” – in other words, we become what we think about. An old adage says, “Sow a thought, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character.” So what our character has become all started with our thought-life. Have we been intentional in thinking on those things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, kind, virtuous and excellent, (Phil.4:8)? Our intentionality in our thoughts determines the way we will act. “Even a child is known by his acts, whether or not they are pure and right” (Prov.20:11). Whether our acts are pure and right, or not, will display what kind of thoughts we have been thinking. Repeated acts in the same direction build a habit that will develop our character. How are you known? What about being intentional with our words? In James 3: 8-11 it talks about the words that comes out of our mouth – blessings and cursings – “this ought not to be.” Our words will eventually show our true self. Verse 8 says the tongue can’t be tamed – whatever is in our thoughts will eventually come out our mouths. It is impossible to consistently speak evil and unkind words and have pure and righteous thoughts and do kind and righteous deeds (vs.11-12). Someone has said, “Preach the gospel and when necessary use words.” I have also heard the saying, “Your actions speak so loud that I can’t hear what you are saying.” So we must have a daily check on our intentionality in our thoughts, words and deeds. We must live with a purpose to “glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Boaz left “handfuls on purpose” for Ruth (Ruth 2:16). Boaz purposed and lived with intentionality and was a picture of Christ when he acted “on purpose” with kindness, beneficence, hospitality and he became a kinsman redeemer and husband to Ruth. Because of Boaz’s intentionality his and Ruth’s lives turned into a beautiful love story. Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the king’s food and drink. God honored his intentionality with knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom, also, gave him understanding in all kinds of visions and dreams and favor with the king (Daniel 1:8). One of Jesus’ purposes was to “undo the works of the devil” (I Jn.3:8). Another of His purposes was to give us abundant life (Jn.10:10). Jesus' every deed was done with intentionality. The Father has purposes for each of us, “welfare and peace, not for evil, and hope in our final outcome” (Jer.29:11). We should find those purposes and intentionally pursue them. If we truly want to “glorify” God in our lives we must determine to live intentionally for God. That is the only way to glorify God and to forever enjoy Him, and life! It costs us to be a Disciple of Christ. It cost us everything – our will, our plans, our dreams, our talents, our hopes – our complete dying to self and submitting our all to Christ and to walk intentionally in the plans and toward the goal He has set for us. The only way to be happy is to trust His purpose and intentionally obey. (Three years ago I wrote a blog on “Intentional Living,” from which I used a lot of the material in this teaching.)

Cost of Discipleship - The Discipline of knowing How We Should Then Live - Introduction

Introduction Our world today, as we know it, is in such a chaotic and ungodly mess, and as someone said, “Going to hell in a hand basket.” A few Christian leaders have been bold enough to speak out and willing to lay the blame at the foot of Church. This is very sad but true, that the western Church has become “lukewarm” in its faith and zeal for Christ and doesn’t seek out the “down and outer,” but seeks out only the “up and outer” to witness to and befriend. It is neither “hot nor cold,” thinks it is rich and doesn’t need anything; not knowing that true riches is a zealous, genuine faith that has been tested by God’s fire of discipline, which results in being clothed with His “Robe of Righteous” (Rev.3:14-22). They plan social programs to draw in the crowd instead of planning days set aside for prayer, fasting, repenting and for revival, renewal and a fresh filling and anointing of the Holy Spirit. How sad, even when these rare times are planned very few will take part – they are too busy or unconcerned. Are we part of the real Church or the Laodicean church? The contemporary Church here in America so often compromise God’s principles and is willing to “go along to get along,” and is willing to overlook, excuse, and even sometimes condone blatant sins, instead of confronting and calling them out and practicing the discipline of Matthew 18. The western Church has lost its broken heart for the lost. It’s “heart” has become hard by refusing to “hear what the Spirit has said, and is saying to the Church, and repent,” (Rev.2:7, 11, 17, 29; ch.3:6, 13, 22). It is too busy to meet together and pray. It has become too full of pride to repent, even when God has told us, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, pray, seek My face and turn from their wicked way, then I will hear them from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14). In our pride we would probably say we have no wicked ways – what about our spiritual adulterous affair with the world? I believe the most grievous sin to God is the Christian’s idolatry. We love the world and the things of the world. We bow at the altar of fame, fortune and approval that the world offers, if we would follow them. There is nothing wrong with fame, fortune or approval unless it is the world’s we are seeking, and compromising our godly standard to get them – check your priorities. The first Psalm says we will be blessed if we don’t “walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way with sinners and sit in the seat of the scornful. But our delight will be in the Law of the Lord.” This is how we should live. It is no wonder our families, our churches, our government and our nation are in such disrepair, and even destroyed, in some cases. It is because the Church has permitted Satan to “steal, kill and destroy” our devotion to God and for His rightful and essential priority of first place in our lives. Satan wants to “steal” our testimony to the world by subtly persuading us to become Pharisees (hypocrites), claiming to be “Christian,” but living just like the world. There’s an old saying that speaks to this which says, “Your actions speak so loud that I can’t hear what you are saying.” The world may not recognize it, but it is hungry for Truth, for meaning to life, for joy, peace and hope. They don’t realize it but they are looking for Jesus. The true Church of Jesus Christ, the alive, moving, righteous Church has the only answer to the needs of this crying world. If this “sleeping Giant” would only wake up, shake itself, eat the Word, drink the “new wine,” and go forth revitalized and restored to newness of life, and have a new zeal to tell the world that Jesus is the only answer to their hunger and thirst, by living a faith-filled, overcoming, loving lifestyle before them, and as Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words”. John wrote, “Let us not love in Word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (I Jn.3:18). This is how we should live! In light of all of the “mess” in the world, Francis Schaeffer” wrote a book with the answers to, How Then Should We Live? (The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture.) His brief answer is: “By the divine power that is within us.” The Word of God, II Peter:1:3 says, “His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that are requisite and suited to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who called us by and to his own glory and excellence.” My version is that God’s power (the Holy Spirit living within all believers) has given us all things we need to walk a godly life through the knowledge of Him Who has called us to His excellence. Jude 1:24 reiterates this thought, “He is able to keep us from falling and present us blameless in triumphal joy before the presence of His glory with unspeakable delight.” The Holy Spirit that lives within all believers gives us the power and ability to live triumphantly. The key to be able to live this triumphant life is to “be” and continue to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to submit to his teaching and leadership and eat, digest and disseminate God’s Word which tells us “how we should then live.”

The Discipline of Knowing How We Should Then Live - Part 2 - By Walking In The Spirit

The Discipline of Knowing How We Should Then Live Part 2 – By Walking in the Spirit My prayer is that each of you who are reading or studying these writings will be committed to the Truth. The Word is the Truth and those who walk in that Truth will be disciplined by It – either being trained by It in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, word or deed), reproved by It, corrected of error by It, challenged by It, convicted of sin by It, comforted by It, or strengthened by It – and if you “hide” Its words in your heart and walk in them, It will accomplish all of the above disciplines, since all of the Words (the scriptures) were God breathed (given by His inspiration) by the Holy Spirit (II Tim.3:16). God’s Word shall not return to Him useless, but it shall accomplish that which He pleases and purposes, and it shall prosper in the thing for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11). There was an old Chinese Christian man, by the name of, Watchmen Nee, who wrote a book called, “Walk, Stand and Sit.” Using the First Psalm he was encouraging and teaching how the Christian who wanted to “walk in the Spirit” by using his only offensive weapon, the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, could do so and be blessed by “not” walking in the flesh. The first verse reads, “Blessed is the man who walks and lives 'not' in the counsel of the ungodly (following their advice, their plans and purposes), “nor” stands (submissive and inactive) in the path where sinners walk, “nor” sits down to relax and rest where the scornful and mockers gather” (Amp). In verse two and three the Psalmist further tells us the “how tos” of the one who chooses to “walk in the spirit.” He delights in the Law of the Lord and he obediently walks in them; and on His Law he habitually meditates, ponders and studies by day and by night. This delighting in, meditating on and obeying God’s Word causes him to be like a tree firmly planted and tended by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not wither or fade; and everything he does shall prosper and come to maturity, because the Lord knows the way of those who are righteous and “walking in the Spirit.” God will cause that one who is wielding the Sword of the Spirit to rejoice in all things, whatever tribulation may come his way, because he is following this three-fold directive of how to walk, stand and sit triumphantly in the Spirit.” When we accepted Jesus as our Savior, we received the package deal – the whole ball of wax. We became a child of the Father God; Jesus became our Advocate to the Father, our elder brother and fellow heir; and the Holy Spirit came to live in us to comfort, teach, guide and lead us into all Truth. It easy to read what God’s Word says about how to “walk in the Spirit,”, but harder to appropriate that Truth, because we are constantly battling our flesh. “The flesh” is the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit. Our flesh is at war with our spirit – always wanting its way and pleasing itself; therefore, we must accept the sacrifice of Jesus, Who came in the guise of sinful flesh and since God condemned sin in the flesh, we must daily “put to death” (depriving it of its power) the things of the flesh, and be controlled by the Holy Spirit (Rom.8:3-4 Amp.). We can choose which god we follow – the god of this world or the Almighty, Infinite, Sovereign God. To “Walk in the Spirit” or to “walk in the flesh” is a choice. We must be intentional in every situation presented us. The Word of God gives us clear choices of how to “Walk in the Spirit.” II Cor. 4:2 admonishes us to renounce disgraceful ways of secret thoughts, feelings, desires and underhandedness and to deal craftily.” Ephesians 2:2 tells us that since we were made alive in Christ we should not walk in the old ways of following the course and fashion of this world when we were under the sway of the tendency of this present age and following the prince of the power of the air and under his control to cause us to be disobedient, rebellious, unbelieving and to go against the purposes of God. We are to “put off” all those ways and “put on” Christ and His ways (Eph.4:22-24). We should walk in the fear of the Lord (Acts 9:31). Galatians 5:16 tells us that “If we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” We are to walk in newness of life (Rom.6:4), remember, Christ made us a new creation, old things have passed away and everything has become new (II Cor.5:17) – new nature, new name, and new song - walk like it! Every morning before we start our day we should purpose to “walk in the Spirit.” So we intentionally put on the full armor of God (Eph.6:10-18), then stand against all the wiles of the flesh, the world and the devil, because our weapons of our warfare are not physical, but they are mighty before God to the destruction of strongholds (II Cor.10:4) So we must tighten the Belt of Truth, which protects our integrity. Think the Truth, speak the Truth, act in Truth and fight Satan with the Truth and He will flee from you (as Jesus did when He was tempted (Mt.4:1-11). If we are not walking with the Belt of Truth tightly fastened around us, our innermost being (our heart) is not protected. And the enemy can deceive us and lead us astray, and cause us to trip over his lies, fall into his pits of temptation, and ensnare us with the bonds of sin, and we in turn will then live a lie. So we must know the Truth and the Truth will set us free (Jn.8:32). What is Truth? God’s Word is Truth. All of God’s Word is True, It is the Truth. It is not just moral guidelines, but more, it is eternal absolutes. Truth is our compass to points us in the right direction. At one time America and the western world were called “Christian.” But by our countries rejecting the Truth of God’s Word as the moral compass and spiritual Truth we should follow, we have fallen into the pit of moral tolerance – the new morality – situational ethics – whatever feels good, do it. It has become “politically correct” to be tolerant of anything, no matter how far askew from the Truth of God’s Word the situation might be. We need only to look around us at how moral Truth has, in the minds of people, been diluted and compromised. Of course Truth cannot really be diluted or compromised because the moment someone tries to compromise the Truth, it is no longer is Truth. Truth is pure and holy and cannot be changed nor can it be abolished. It does not wear out or become old fashioned. Psalm 100:5 says “His Truth endures to all generations.” If Christians aren’t willing to stand for the Truth, who will? If Christians aren’t willing to stand for the Truth now, when is the time? If Christians aren’t willing to stand for the Truth here in free America, where could we? Are you walking in the Truth? Are you standing for the Truth here and now (even sometimes alone)? To “walk in the Spirit” is to walk in Truth and completely yield and commit all that you are to Him. It is to “walk” intentionally, with God’s purpose before us (which is spelled out in His Word). Also to “walk in the Spirit” we put on the helmet of salvation. When we are saved God gives us the “mind of Christ.” To keep it pure and right we must fill our minds with the Word and the things of God. Philippians 4:8 says, “Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things and fix your minds on them” (Amp.). To “walk in the Spirit” we must be intentional in what we put in our minds. You have heard the old saying, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop,” this is true. Satan does his work starting in our minds, so we must “take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ” (II Cor.10:5). Remember the old adage I have quoted many times, and I think it is appropriate here, also. Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Next, we must put on the Breastplate of Righteousness (integrity). It covers and protects your heart and your right standing with God. There is an old gospel song which tells what righteousness is all about. It says, “Nothing between my soul and my Savior, So that His blessed face may be seen. Nothing preventing the least of His favor. Keep the way clear! Let nothing between” (Tindley). To keep the way clear no known sin against the Father goes unconfessed, because “when we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I Jn.1:9). Sin does not break our relationship with Christ but it does break our fellowship with Him. Confession restores our fellowship with Christ and keeps us in “good standing” with Him. Make sure you are prompt and ready to walk in Peace with everyone so they will listen to the “gospel” through your life of peace. “Preach the gospel and when necessary use words” (Francis of Assisi). Peace is not just the absence of turmoil but it is the rest of the spirit when there is turmoil all around. I read about an artist who won first prize for his painting entitled, “Peace.” It was a picture of a nest of baby birds and their mother located on a small ledge of a rock, which was a part of a massive boulder. Above and in front of the boulder was a cascading waterfall, but the birds felt secure hidden in the cleft of the rock. All around was possible disaster for them, but the mother had them hidden safely in her care. What a perfect picture of the peace we can have when we are hidden with Christ, although the world is chaotic all around us. In Him we can have perfect peace. Also, cover yourself completely with the Shield of Faith, because the enemy, Satan, will be shooting many and myriad flaming missiles of doubt, fear and temptation to destroy your testimony, your witnessing power, and your fellowship with Jesus. “Faith is the confirmation (the title deed) of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the ” (Heb.11:1 Amp.). “We walk by faith not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7), and “without faith it is impossible to please God”(Heb.11:6). And last of all, before, throughout and after the battle with the enemy, PRAY for yourself and for your fellow soldiers at all times, on every occasion, and with all manner of prayer (adoring & praising God for Who He is, confessing your sins, thanking God for what He has done and what He is going to do, and beseeching God in supplication for yours and others’ needs)! By daily putting on the full armor of God you can victoriously “walk in the Spirit.” “And above all these put on and walk in love, as Christ has loved us and gave Himself as an offering to God as a sweet smelling savor” (Colossians 3:14, Ephesians 4:2), . Love is the summon bonum – “the supreme good from which all others are derived.” If we walk in love (which is the Greatest Commandment), we will fulfill all other “walks” to which we are called. 3.

Who Is Like Jehovah?

“That they may know that You, Whose name alone is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:18) So many of the advertisements on television are of “comparison tests” trying to show their product is far superior in comparison with others like products. People who faithfully followed the radio and television super heroes, found them above comparison. In my childhood days it was “The Lone Ranger,” who was the only one who seemed to be able to rescue and overcome the villain. Then there was “The Shadow,” who was a very mysterious hero who moved unseen and with an all seeing eye. “The shadow knows” was the key phrase used to compare his knowledge to all others. He could disclose the knowledge of the guilty to solve the “case,” because he was unseen but could see all. In more recent times we have had Superman, who was a “mild mannered reporter,” but when trouble came he went into a phone booth (or whatever was convenient) and put on his Superman suit and cape, then he could “leap tall buildings with a single bound,” was “faster than a speeding bullet,” and “more powerful than a locomotive.” Then there was Batman, Wonder Woman, Mighty Mouse, and more even more recent that I don’t have room to name, but in comparison to all other humans, their attributes were supposed to prove them to be the greatest. Did you notice, all of these human “super heroes” have attributes that mere humans did not possess. Without using the word the writers were calling them “god.” In truth these attributes can only be attributed to Jehovah God. The Bible is the book that contains many “spine tingling” adventures that are true and not thought up in someone’s imagination. One such adventure is in I Kings the eighteenth chapter – this is a must read. This is the story of Elijah (a prophet of Jehovah God, the only true god) who challenged 850 prophets of King Ahab (450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the goddess Asherah). They were false gods, and God had already commanded them to “put away” all other gods. Both Baal and Asherah were counter-parts of the god and goddess of fertility – both of man and of crops. Thus their temples were donated to fertility rites, including prostitution. The King of Israel, Ahab, had led the people into pagan worship of these two gods. The first two Commandments, in Dueteronomy Five, show God’s hatred of idolatry in any way; either prioritizing anything before or along with Him to come into our affection; or have physical idols to which we bow down and worship!! By his victorious challenge Elijah, the one prophet of Jehovah God, the true god, proved so spectacularly that His God, Jehovah, was truly the “one and only God of gods and Lord of lords!” King Ahab’s heart was still too hard to acknowledge God as God, but when the people, who had been so deceived by the false prophets, saw the miraculous answer to a very short prayer they “fell on their faces and said, “The Lord is God. He is God! The Lord, He is God!” (v.39). Who is like Jehovah God? And remember Daniel’s deliverance from certain death in the lion’s den? After Daniel’s deliverance King Darius wrote to all peoples, nations and languages of his realm that dwelt upon the earth: May peace be multiplied to you! I make a decree that in all my royal dominion men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the living God, enduring and steadfast forever, and His kingdom shall not be destroyed and His dominion shall be even to the end of the world. He is a Savior and Deliverer, and He works signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth --He Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions (Dan. 6:1-28 (Amp.)! Who is like Jehovah God? I say, like the author of Hebrews said in chapter 11:32-40, “What shall I say further? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by the help of faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions, extinguished the power of raging fire, escaped the devourings of the sword, out of frailty and weakness won strength and became stalwart, even mighty and resistless in battle, routing alien hosts. And all of these, though they won divine approval by means of their faith, did not receive the fulfillment of what was promised, because God had us in mind and had something better and greater in view for us, so that they these heroes and heroines of faith should not come to perfection apart from us before we could join them.” Who is like Jehovah God? What other god could compare? All other gods are temporal, earthly and it is completely foolish to consider any other as a god like our God! Besides Jehovah God, what other god can love with an everlasting, unconditional love? What other god has the power “to do abundantly above all we could ask or think, according to the power (our faith) that works in us?" What other god is with us, and will remain with us forever? What other god is all wise and knows all about us, yet loves us still? Who is like Jehovah? There is no one or nothing. I learned that there are millions of “gods” being worshiped in the world. Some are one aspect of one central god – like Brahman in the Hindu faith. But there is none like unto Jehovah God. He is the Lord of lords, the King of kings, the Almighty God, the Faithful God Who will never fail and the all and everlastingly loving God. Who can compare with Him? If your making resolutions here at the first of the year, I would challenge you to make a resolution to obey all the Ten Commandments, but especially the first two (Duet.5:7-10), and above all, obey the two Greatest Commandments (Matt.22:38-40) and you will fulfill all the rest. I would encourage and admonish you to make Jesus Christ, Jehovah God, your one and only god; make Him your top priority and your first love. Love, learn and obey His Word. Recognize Him and bow down (humble yourself) and worship Him for Who He is! He is all you need and all you have today and every day he gives you on this earth, and all you will need for eternity. He satisfies your every longing and fulfills your every dream! He is your Provider, your Protector, your Prince of Peace, your Advocate and Mediator, and your Friend that sticks closer than a brother. He is your Savior and your God! He Is Jehovah Kenneth Copeland He is Jehovah, God of creation, He is Jehovah, Lord God Almighty, The Balm of Gilead, the Rock of Ages, He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee. Refrain Sing Alleluia, Sing Alleluia, Sing Alleluia, Sing Alleluia, He is Jehovah, the Lord God Almighty, He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee. He is the Great I am, The God of Abraham, Jehovah Shalom, the God of Peace I am, The God of Israel, the Everlasting One, He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee. He’s your Provider, Jehovah Jireh, God of Salvation, God of Messiah, He is Jehovah, the God that healeth thee! WHO IS LIKE JEHOVAH? Answer: NOTHING OR NO ONE!