Life (Blog) Imitating Dream

Songs: Glorious Day, Casting Crowns (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqrqPGt11bA)
I Will Follow, Chris Tomlin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ohvhmGSfxI)

Scripture: (from www.biblegateway.com)
John 21:15-22 (New King James Version)
Jesus Restores Peter
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
The Beloved Disciple and His Book
20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

Philippians 2:1-16 (New King James Version)
Unity Through Humility
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
The Humbled and Exalted Christ
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Light Bearers
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

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The song Glorious Day by Casting Crowns was playing in my head as I opened my eyes. I thought about things that were going on in my life that I wanted to blog about related to that song, but I drifted back to sleep. Then I awoke with I Will Follow by Chris Tomlin having replaced the other song in my head’s playlist. Just as I was going to get up and blog about some things using that song, …

The alarm went off and I woke up for real. I thought of the phrases, “life imitating art” and “art imitating life” as I realized I was dreaming about blogging. Guessed I’d better do it, so I got up and now here I am, blogging about dreaming about blogging. (Although I remember the songs from the dream, I don’t remember what I was going to write about them!!! So, I’ll see what comes out, and maybe even finish some others I’ve started…)

While I wasn’t sure when I went to bed where (or even if) I was to go to a church to worship today, I set my alarm just in case. As I write this, I think about what book of Romans says in 12:1 about “spiritual worship”:

Romans 12:1-6a (Amplified Bible)
1I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
2Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
3For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.
4For as in one physical body we have many parts (organs, members) and all of these parts do not have the same function or use,
5So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ (the Messiah) and individually we are parts one of another [mutually dependent on one another].
6Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them:

[Okay – you know that I didn’t plan to have all of those verses from Romans, right? but I “fat-fingered” the ending verse, and ended up with verse 6 – guess that’s a confirmation that at least I needed to do some blogging today maybe, using my “gift” according to the grace given me?!]

Thinking about worship, thought of what I’d read recently about worship in David Needham’s book, Close to His Majesty: a road map to God [and it’s funny too, that the chapter to which I’m referring is called “GOD … WOW!”, and my last blog, which I wrote before I read that chapter in the book, had me going “wow”] …

Worship … is just as fitting when you hear the voice of God fulfilling your dreams … as it is when you feel His hand destroying them. It belongs in the midst of overwhelming joy as well as in overwhelming grief. … Worship is saying, “Wow!” to God … it is your automatic response out of your own utter smallness to a God too big … too awesome to grasp, bigger and more marvelous, too sovereign, too mysterious, too much beyond anything we can figure out. … Because God, rightly perceived, will always be a God too big. … Whatever we discover Him to be, He is far too big for us in our utter smallness to grasp. We can’t handle it. We weren’t made to handle it. We were made to worship.

[ Made me think of the Chris Tomlin song, (You and I were) Made to Worship, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8KIQTc4L-8&feature=related]

Sometimes I fear, when God is working with me on something, that He is teaching me a lesson that I need to know because I am going to need it, and that the lesson is going to be hard, and the experience in which I will use what I learned will be undesirable. So, I don’t always want the lesson (like that will keep the “bad” thing away… I know, logic like that doesn’t make a lot of sense, huh?). But then it is as if He asks me, “If the ‘thing’ is going to happen anyway and you – or someone else - are going to need the knowledge from the lesson, wouldn’t you rather have the lesson beforehand so you will have what you need when you need it?” I guess so…

I was just thinking the other day about how I don’t like the hard lessons, but that they are sometimes what is needed – what I need. Case in point is when I got a ticket for a “rolling stop” at a stop sign. The officer wouldn’t give me a warning (they never do with me), so I try now to be more aware and careful to come to a complete stop at stop signs. It was at one of those complete stops where someone else speeded through their stop sign and my car would likely have been hit on the passenger side, where my child was sitting, had I done the “rolling stop” thingy. The question is: would I have been as careful to stop completely if the officer had only given me a warning, and I had not been inconvenienced and penalized – going to court, paying a fine, etc.? Maybe [ok, probably] not – maybe one day I’ll get to a point where a warning is enough…

Psalm 19:7-14 (Amplified Bible) – emphasis mine
7The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes.
9The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb.
11Moreover, by them is Your servant warned (reminded, illuminated, and instructed); and in keeping them there is great reward.
12Who can discern his lapses and errors? Clear me from hidden [and unconscious] faults.
13Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then shall I be blameless, and I shall be innocent and clear of great transgression.
14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.

Lord, please let this be true of me:

Psalm 119:11 (Contemporary English Version)
11I treasure your word above all else; it keeps me from sinning against you.

… and my journey with Him continues …

Memories … Response

Songs: Remember Me, Mark Schultz and Ginny Owens (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4uZn5gLIY8&feature=related)
All of Creation, MercyMe (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkdniYsUrM8)
More than Enough, Chris Tomlin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHEm-b4IRYk&feature=related)

Scripture: (from www.biblegateway.com)
Psalm 103:1-5 (New King James Version)
A Psalm of David.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Devotionals: Our Daily Bread
March 11, 2011: http://odb.org/2011/03/11/the-overflow/
March 20, 2011: http://odb.org/2011/03/20/the-stones/



WOW – I had just posted my previous blog (Memories) before I went to pick someone up. Arriving at my destination, I turned off the car, but turned on the radio, just to hear what was on as I waited. There was a commercial on one channel, so I switched to another channel - another commercial. I didn’t turn the radio off because it will go off by itself after a few minutes, but I didn’t try another channel either. So I figured that I’d just spend the time catching up on my Our Daily Bread devotionals as I pulled out the booklet and started reading.

Just then, the song Remember Me by Mark Schultz came on. I was dumbfounded, thinking how I’d just listened to that song in preparing the blog. I put down the ODB and just sat, listening to the music and crying. It was as if God Himself was responding – in Person - to my obedience in blogging, showing His approval, rewarding my effort.

It had been raining very hard when I pulled up, but it stopped while the song played. I sat, watching the lightning, as the next song, All of Creation by MercyMe, came on and played. I rolled down my window so I could extend my hands in praise. My heart was filled to overflowing with gratitude for the relationship I have with such an awesome God through such a wonderful Savior, as I just basked in the joy of His Presence, sensing His majesty in nature’s fireworks display.

As the next song came on (Chris Tomlin’s More Than Enough), I thought of, agreed with and prayed the Psalmist’s declaration:

Psalm 73:25 (NKJV) Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for loving me, for all of the ways Your love is expressed and manifested in, to, for, by and through me. Thank You for Your grace. Thank You for the beauty of Your creation. Thank You for safety. Thank You for the joy of Your Presence…You are my exceedingly great reward. In Jesus’ precious and mighty Name I pray, Amen.

… and my journey with Him continues …

Memories

Songs: Remember Me, Mark Schultz and Ginny Owens (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4uZn5gLIY8&feature=related)

Scripture:
Isaiah 49:15
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.

Books: God has not forgotten about you … and He cares more than you can imagine, by Leslie Haskin


I recently went to see a friend who is recovering from a stroke (Thank You, dear Jesus, for her progress!) Like Paul, I am grateful that the Lord had mercy on us both such that she is still here (see Philippians 2:27). I am also grateful that I had the chance to visit. During our time together, it was apparent that she was suffering some memory loss, and I was saddened to think that thoughts of some of the things which had meant so much to her, brought her such joy, were no longer readily accessible.

This feeling of sadness, of loss, reminded me of what I partially felt when I saw the movie The Notebook. I thought of the family and friends of those who are experiencing memory loss, and how hard it can be to see your loved ones that way.

Thinking of these things had me praying to God that I not forget Him – not the lessons I’ve learned from and about Him, the feelings of joy in His Presence, the warmth of His smile or the wonder at His love.

It occurred to me that perhaps one reason I am to blog about these things is so that if at any time I do forget, I can remember – if not the feelings at least the thoughts, the incidents, the circumstances of my journey with my Lord. So I return to my blogging with renewed sense of purpose which I hope will keep me motivated to be more faithful, more committed, more consistent.

Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of memory. I lift up to you all who are suffering with any memory loss. I lift up their family and friends and pray that they all will press in to You on behalf of themselves and their loved ones. I pray, Lord God, that the memory of You – of relationship with You – is restored, renewed, and revitalized for those with memory problem, for any of us who are prone to forget. Thank You that Your restoration is always better than the original, Your remedy more complete, more comprehensive than that which it replaces. Thank You that You never forget us, nor what we are going through. Thank You for Your faithfulness to Your promise to never leave us nor forsake us. Thank You for the sweetness of the knowledge of You, of individual intimacy with You. Please forgive us for ever taking what You share with us of and about Yourself for granted. Thank You for Your great goodness, mercy, and love toward us. In Jesus’ precious and mighty Name I pray, Amen.

… and my journey with Him continues …

More Strength! and Peace,,,

Songs: Strength – John P. Kee & New Life Community Choir (NLCC) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lVkoeIIS1E&feature=related part 1, and w/Dorinda Clark-Cole, part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSfHGsO_uqg&feature=related)

Everything I Need – Kutless (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXTFwGjzjag)

Scripture: Psalm 29:11
The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

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I hadn't really planned to do this, but I stayed up all night the other night. The next day, I knew I had something to do, but thought that it would only take a little while. It took all day. But I didn’t get tired at all, praise be to God! I am so grateful for the strength that God gives...for the strength that He is ... for all that He is to and for me!

And His peace keeps me, even when things aren't going as I plan or as I think they should or as I want. Thank You, Lord, for Your perfect peace!

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Exodus 15:2
The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

1 Chronicles 29:12
Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.

Psalm 18:1
[ To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, who spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said: ] I will love You, O LORD, my strength.

Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.

Psalm 31:24
Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.

Psalm 37:39
But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble.

Psalm 68:35
O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!

Psalm 71:16
I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD;I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.

Isaiah 40:29
He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.

Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 49:5
“ And now the LORD says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, And My God shall be My strength),

Isaiah 58:11
The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Daniel 10:19
And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

Joel 3:16
The LORD also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the LORD will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel.

Habakkuk 3:19
The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet,And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.

Zechariah 10:6
“ I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back, Because I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I had not cast them aside; For I am the LORD their God, And I will hear them.

2 Timothy 4:17
[ The Lord Is Faithful ] But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

…and my journey with Him continues…

Reading Material – (2g)

Here is information on another book I’ve read recently (Scripture is from biblegateway.org):

The Power of a Whisper: Hearing God. Having the guts to respond. - by Bill Hybels.

In this book, vision is cast, and a challenge is given to live in every circumstance of life with “an ear toward heaven – discerning whispers that arbitrate key decisions, nudges that rescue from dark nights of the soul, promptings that spur growth, urgings from the lips of another person, and inspiration that opens glazed-over eyes to the plight of injustice and poverty in our world” – and to “get gutsier about actually doing what God is prompting you to do.”

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Isaiah 30:21, New International Version 1984, ©1984
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

In the stories presented, I saw anew the benefits of being obedient to God, and thereby being positioned to participate in the increase of His kingdom. Sometimes I do better at being obedient than at others; hopefully, I will grow stronger and mature spiritually to a point where I will be more obedient, not thinking about myself (which would make me subject to selfishness, pride, timidity, cowardice, etc.) but only about obeying God.

Proverbs 29:25, Contemporary English Version
Don't fall into the trap of being a coward-- trust the LORD, and you will be safe.

Mark 8:35, New Living Translation
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.

2 Timothy 1:7, New Living Translation
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

And as I grow closer to God, I expect my ability to discern His voice, His whisper, to grow. Five “filters” were shared in examining whether a “whisper” is really from God: Ask if it is truly from God, check if it is Scriptural, consider if it is wise, determine if it is in tune with your own character, and discern what people you trust most think about it.

Proverbs 11:14, New King James Version
Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

Proverbs 24:6, New King James Version
For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

…and my journey with Him continues…

Reading Material – (2f)

Here is information on another book I’ve read recently (Scripture is from biblegateway.org):

Getting Another Chance from The God Who Won’t Let Go; Divine grace in the face of guilt, tragedy, and failure, by Dean Merrill.

“If you could use a fresh start,” this book “offers biblical insights that can help you align yourself with God’s redemptive will for your life. It provides practical questions for reflection. And through true-life examples, it reveals a Savior who will meet you in the midst of your circumstances … and flood your life with unexpected grace.”

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Song: Second Chance, Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Crusade Choir, featuring Monique Walker (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlIzVnBM3jo&feature=related)
[There are multiple videos of this song. This one is live – slower and longer than some of the others - and at the end, Ms. Walker sings “Another Chance” – that was the former title of this book!]

I actually picked this book up when I was in the library because of the author. Always before, I had seen Dean Merrill’s name listed on a book as being “with” someone else who had “top billing” for authorship. The book was a good reminder that God’s mercy truly endures forever.

Someone had asked me about repentance, and I was able to share some information from this book with them:

1) In his book Let Us Enjoy Forgiveness, Judson Cornwall explains and then illustrates how completely God removes our sins once they are confessed. This excerpt begins with a comment on Colossians 2:13-14, “He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to His cross.”

The more common Greek word for the cancellation of a contract is chiazein, which means to write the Greek letter chi, which is the same shape as a capital X, right across the document. This was called a “cross out.” But Paul uses the Greek word exaleiphein, which literally means “to wash over,” as in whitewashing, or “to wipe out.” The ink used in Paul’s day was basically soot mixed with gum and dilated with water. It would last for a long time and retain its color, but a wet sponge passed over the surface of the papyrus could wash the paper as clean as it had been before the writing had been inscribed on it. This is the word Paul uses here. Our sins have not merely been canceled out; they have been blotted out…

God made this truth tremendously clear to me when I was pasturing on the West Coast. I had been burdened for a pastor who had been defrocked by his denomination for immorality and had moved to my community to start life over as a watchman for a plywood mill. Over a period of many months, we lunched together and came to know each other quite well. I continuously sought to cause him to accept the forgiveness he used to preach and encouraged him to live as a forgiven man, but it was difficult for him, since he had lived most of his life in the concept that God has a separate standard for ministers. After more than a year, the reality of God’s forgiveness began to dawn upon him. … It was great to see this guilt-ridden brother begin to accept the fullness of God’s glorious forgiveness. In time, his denomination recognized the change in him and reinstated him, offering him a small church to begin his ministry anew. …
“Lord,” I prayed, “have I been mistaken about him all along? Did he really confess his sin, or did he merely admit his guilt? Is he caught up in self-condemnation, or is he still guilty in Your sight?”

God’s answer came in the form of an immediate vision. With my eyes still closed in prayer, I saw myself in a large room that had bookcases on all four walls with volumes of leather-bound books from floor to ceiling. It reminded me of a legal library. As I looked at the books, I saw that they were alphabetized by names of people. A large hand with an extended index finger began to move across the books, until it came to the one with this minister’s name on it. The book was removed from the shelf, placed on a small table, and opened in such a way that I could see and read the pages. The first page told the story of his birth, and subsequent pages told of his early childhood, of his call into the ministry while he was still in his teens, of his first ministry and pastorate, of his courtship and marriage and of his climb to a respected position in his denomination. … Everything that I read fit what I had come to know about this man.

The top of each page was dated, very much like a diary, and as the pages got closer and closer to the first incidence of adultery, I wondered how God would have it recorded. But when the book opened to that date, the page was absolutely blank, as were succeeding pages for what would be chapters of space. Then when we came to the date of his repentance, it was fully recorded with a marginal gloss that this had produced great rejoicing in heaven. Following this, the pages recorded his progress back into faith, his ministry in our church, his reacceptance into the denomination, and his call to the new church. Puzzled by the many blank pages, I asked if I could have a closer look at them. My request was granted, and I saw that there had been writing on the pages, but that it had been erased. On the bottom of each erased page, in red, were the initials “JC.”

True to His word, Jesus Christ had “blotted out the charges proved against you, the list of His commandments which you had not obeyed” (Colossians 2:14 LB). Heaven had no record of this man’s sin. The only existing record was in his memory.

Excited with this revelation, I rushed to the phone and called the brother. After I told him what God had shown me, he quit his job, took the church, and re-entered the ministry as a forgiven man.

God does not forgive and then file it away for future reference; he forgives and then erases the record. The pages of transcript that record our sinning are erased clean. Even the tape recording of our confession is erased, so that none will ever have access to our past. The guilt is removed and so is the evidence. This is the way God forgives the repentant one. Acts 3:19 urges us, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out [Greek exaleiphein], when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (KJV).

2) To be forgiven, to have our blot erased and forgotten, is a great gift. But to watch God fill the empty space, writing a new thing upon the tablet of our lives, is even greater. It is the final evidence that He does not hold a grudge, that He has not schemed some kind of residual punishment for us. His love is so complete that it does not stop until He has assured us that we are more than just tolerable in His sight; we are valuable.

Justice: We get what we deserve.
Mercy: We do not get what we deserve.
Grace: We get what we do not deserve.
Sam Wilson

[ Makes me think of verses from Isaiah 43:1-4, 18-19:

The Redeemer of Israel
1 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“ Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life. ..
18 “ Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.

…and Philippians 3:12-16 (New King James Version)

Pressing Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.]

…and my journey with Him continues…

Reading Material – (2e)

Here is information on another book I’ve read recently (Scripture is from biblegateway.org):

another man’s war: The True Story of One Man’s Battle to Save Children in the Sudan, by Sam Childers.

This book follows “Childers’s remarkable transformation from violent thug to a man of faith, and his ongoing battle to save children in one of the world’s most lawless areas. His mission is simple: save the children, no matter the cost.”

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In cleaning up, I kept coming upon a slip of paper for the address of Shekinah Fellowship, where I had sent a contribution once to aid in rescue of the children of Sudan and Uganda. Since I couldn’t seem to get rid of the paper, I looked them up on the internet and found that there was a book about the “gun-toting preacher” who runs the rescue efforts. Once again, the public library had the book, and it was in so I checked it out and read it.

When I had initially seen some film footage some years ago about the orphanage that was started for the rescued children, I was really horrified to see (and not just hear about) the evidence of some of the violence and atrocities they suffered. I was even more troubled when I felt the Lord speaking to me that their healing would only come through forgiveness. How could someone forgive this?

Mark 10:26-28 (Amplified Bible)
26And they were shocked and exceedingly astonished, and said to Him and to one another, Then who can be saved?

27Jesus glanced around at them and said, With men [it is] impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.

28Peter started to say to Him, Behold, we have yielded up and abandoned everything [once and for all and joined You as Your disciples, siding with Your party] and accompanied You [walking the same road that You walk].

Then I remembered reading an account of holocaust survivor Corrie ten Boom’s encounter with a Nazi guard who had been at one of the concentration camps where she was detained during the World War II. Part of an online account reprinted from a Guideposts magazine article tells the story (http://www.familylifeeducation.org/gilliland/procgroup/CorrieTenBoom.htm):

“ ‘But since that time,’ he went on, ‘I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fräulein,’ again the hand came out—’will you forgive me?’

“And I stood there—I whose sins had again and again to be forgiven—and could not forgive. Betsie had died in that place—could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

“It could not have been many seconds that he stood there—hand held out—but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

“For I had to do it—I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. ‘If you do not forgive men their
trespasses,’ Jesus says, ‘neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.’

“I knew it not only as a commandment of God, but as a daily experience. Since the end of the war I had had a home in Holland for victims of Nazi brutality. Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and as horrible as that.

“And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion—I knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. ‘… Help!’ I prayed silently. ‘I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.’

“And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

“ ‘I forgive you, brother!’ I cried. ‘With all my heart!’

“For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely, as I did then.”

The book does talk some of the forgiveness those rescued have experienced – there is even a story where Pastor Sam had met with a man who had hurt many people, intending to kill him but instead “led him to eternal life in heaven….His old life of death and evil was gone, replaced with a new, clean, spotless life in Christ….All sinners are equally damned and everyone, no matter what they’ve done, can be equally forgiven and blessed.”

Hard lessons sometimes, but still…

…and my journey with Him continues…