Many of us are far more successful than we imagine; perhaps more than our humility could handle. It is tragic to find in the body of Christ an ear accused of failure because it cannot see, or an eye that thinks it’s let the body down because it cannot smell. 
​
What the world thinks, what other Christians think, what you think, is irrelevant. Nothing matters except God’s approval. It is the sole measure of a ministry. 

Don’t be too hasty is despising what you imagine to be your flaws and weaknesses. 

The Mocker glares at you. ‘Cracked pot!’ he snarls. You shrink inside, unable to hear the adoration of people in the age to come. ‘Exquisite vessel, perfectly formed to touch our lives!’ they cry to you. ‘Through that crack God’s oil flowed out to us.’ 

Paul’s epistles seem a desperate reaction to the annoyance of distance or prison keeping him from his ‘real’ mission. (Romans 1:10-13; 15:22-23; Philippians 4:1a; 1 Thessalonians 2:17-18; 3:10) He might have felt as frustrated as an injured sportsman reduced to urging his team from the sidelines. Yet it is this ‘side-line’ ministry, rather than his ‘real’ one, that has snowballed down the hills of time. According to Andrew Bonar, we have gained more from Paul’s imprisonment than from his visit to the third heaven. 

We seem the object of ridicule, yet we’re the focus of infinite love. We’re fruit growing sweeter, wine gaining value; not milk going sour. We’re not cardboard caving, colors fading, under the weight of time; we’re concrete drying stronger, trees growing higher, dawn glowing brighter. 

Though the pool of examples seems bottomless, to dip further is superfluous. ‘In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.’ (2 Corinthians 13:1; Deuteronomy 19:15) The case is proved: we may be mightily used of God when least aware of it. What seems an infuriating hindrance to service could actually be eliciting vital ministry. 

See Jesus naked on the cross, scorned by demons, soldiers and Jews. To even his supporters his failure was undeniable. Thousands were ashamed of him. We, too, may be pounded within and without by accusations that we are weak, ineffectual, useless.

We have no right to imagine we have failed unless heaven expressly reveals it to us. 

It’s scary being different. We’d rather hide, trying to clone someone else’s ministry. But there’s simply no demand for more impersonators. There is, however, a demand for your unique contribution. 

Resist the pressure to conform. You may die of embarrassment, but you’ll live in glory. The world needs your distinctive ministry.

The most powerful ministry is probably intercession. And the world’s greatest intercessor could be the ‘no-body’ sitting next to you in church last Sunday. Only the spirit-realm comprehends what Christ’s sacred service agents accomplish behind closed doors and behind enemy lines. 

No one who always surrenders to criticism will achieve anything significant for God. There is no type of music, for example, which appeals to every Christian. Suppose ninety-nine percent of people find your ministry atrocious. If your band played at an anti-nuclear rally, they wouldn’t know whether to ban the bomb or bomb the band. What should you do? Assuming they are reacting to your style, and not spurning spiritual truth, it would seem desirable to serenade the one percent when the others were out of earshot. 

If you appeal only to a minority, it could well be a minority that is not being reached by other means. If so, the church would be poorer without your specialized ministry. Heaven’s approval outlasts earth’s applause. 

Though bent by Adam’s crash and bashed by my own sin, God gave me my personality with its tastes, and for years I’ve been looking to him to mold me. So I believe that somewhere are people with cerebral plumbing like mine. They will appreciate my style and are most likely the ones God has called me to minister to. Should there be millions of them, I’ll be famous; if only a few, I’ll blend with the wallpaper. But it won’t affect God’s view of me. If popularity is a valid measure of success, our deserted Lord was a failure.  Ah, but wait, three days later, what the world saw as a failure-rose from the dead! There will come a day, when, though it does not appear what we will be here, the word of God tells us, we will be like Him, and see Him as He is. Our minds, in this world, cannot comprehend this; but we can put our entire trust in the truth of it. The risen Christ, is our assurance.
 
‘Experts’ regularly berate the simplicity of Fanny Crosby’s hymns. It is said she had the literary skill to silence her critics but she deliberately simplified her songs to meet more powerfully the needs of the distressed, the infirm and the poorly educated. 

That does not mean I can be lax. To limit oneself to a particular style can be very demanding but because Fanny considered it the most effective way to reach her target audience she strove for perfection within this framework.
 
We are often so over-awed by God’s moral standards that we overlook other aspects of his nature. Our Lord is Creator as well as Savior, and the Maker of rainbows and nightingales didn’t suddenly lose his creative urge at the close of Day Six. God’s creativity is inexhaustible. And you were made for him. He longs to express his creativity through you. As an instrument and musician together make beautiful music, you and your Lord can unite to create exquisite beauty. What you can do together defies imagination. You make an awesome team. 

Yield to Christ, like a brush to the artist, and from your life will flow unearthly beauty. 

Too often I think and act as if the darkness of my inadequacy could extinguish the brilliance of Christ. I have seen myself as a failure and I have seen the results of such thinking. Now I endeavor to see myself as a born failure, born again a success. That’s scriptural. Without Christ I am brain-frozen with inadequacy. But I am not without Christ. I am tired of being hauled through the sludge by my former view of myself. I had backed off so far from the monster of pride that I had almost fallen into the ditch of despair, dragging God’s glory with me. Though I hate egotism, I must hate doubt with equal passion. 

‘It seems as though everything I do is wrong,’ cried Gladys Aylward in a letter from China. Great men and women of God often long to quit, but they wobble on. (E.g., Jeremiah 20:7-8) When they are hit, they bounce – like flat footballs usually, but enough to stay in the game. After a while they are pumped up again and their erratic zigzag course resumes that vaguely goalward trajectory that sends angelic cheer-leaders wild. 

Success is failure that tried one more time. As we look to God and courageously move ahead, stumbling blocks turn to stepping stones to a beautiful ministry. Not only are apparent failures rarely the disasters we imagine, they are often not even failures. God’s definition of success may be far more generous than you imagine.

If your life is on ‘hold’, the hands holding you bear love-prints and they’re nestling you close to the Father’s heart. 
Glorious things are ahead. 

Not to be sold. © Copyright, Grantley Morris, 1985-1996, 2015. For much more by the same author, see www.net-burst.net No part of these writings may be copied without citing this entire paragraph. 

This video/material may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes only. This constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. There is no monetary gain in posting this information.
Lorna Couillard-Two Sparrows Ministry

The story of the sufferings of Job in the Bible has a great deal of wisdom, and insight. After Job had lost his children, and his possessions, and his health, he sat in silence, his body full of sores. For several days, three men had sat with him, but when they began to talk to Job, they were full of advice and criticism. Finally, Job gave a blunt reply:

Job 16:1  Then Job answered and said, 
Job 16:2  I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all. 
​
Many times people have good intentions, but lack the wisdom, or insight to give advice that comes from the heart of God. Human effort without God in it, is vain. Job's suffering was so deep, the three friends would have been better off if they had stayed silent, and left him alone. Instead, they heaped needless and hurtful words on him, that only added to his suffering, and more weights of burdens he could not bear. They falsely accused him of crimes and secret sins he didn't commit.

People talk many times, just because they want to be heard, and need to feel important. Job's friends thought they were trying to help Job, but their real goal was self-gratification. Their long winded advice and accusations were to elevate themselves, attempting to be a counselor and advisor for Job, without any real understanding of his case. They should have listened to him earlier:

Job 13:4  But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 
Job 13:5  O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. 

Most of the time, your best response when you see someone in grief, or sadness, is just be there, and say nothing-or as little as possible. You do not know the full extent of what is going on in their life-you could be adding to their pain by your empty words.

If you do speak-make sure it's when you have a deeper level of understanding of their situation-and only if you really care enough to listen.

In the last three years, the suffering and death from Covid, and the deceitful conduct of many in the drug and health industry has wreaked havoc on untold numbers of lives. Millions of innocent people's lives were destroyed, along with businesses, and structures of society brought to ruin. 

People are still suffering and dying from the effects of these clot shots-but it's not reported much anymore. The world and news media has moved on to other topics; war, the collapsing banks, government bailouts...and more.

The ones still suffering from the Covid holocaust, are now left to deal with it alone and forgotten, and the truth is as hidden as past holocaust's in history. The cold, calculated conduct of the health industry, the CDC, the government mandates that made no sense, nor proven science (the useless mask mandate for example), the poison concoctions the drug industry forced on millions of people, and the false reporting and intentional cover-ups from news media, all played their roles to use this "live exercise" as Mike Pompeo described it, moving forward. 

www.brighteon.com/1c52ebf6-3901-484c-959c-536aaa0acf43
Definition of a Live Exercise: A Live Exercise is an exercise in which actual forces participate. A Command Post is a headquarters of the exercise involving commanders and their staffs, and communications within and between participating headquarters, in which NATO and friendly forces, as well as opposing forces, are simulated.

If you still believe your government, or society cares about you at this point, there's nothing anybody could say that would wake you up. Those who know and follow Jesus, and see the evidence that we are in the last days, and the converging events that scripture teaches us, and we are aware, that Christ's return is coming soon.

Scripture teaches that in the last days, people would be rude, lovers of themselves, boastful, hateful, brutal. There's a lot of this today. Timothy talks about it:

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 
2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 

Boasting, pride, and blasphemy-each act as if I am the most important person. Each of them say, “You don’t matter and God does not matter. All that matters is me.”

Today boasting, pride, and blasphemy are apparent everywhere, especially among the celebrities that our cultures idolizes. 

2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 

Ever since Adam, humankind has been marked by these things to one degree or another. Here, Paul said these things will be especially prevalent in the last days.

Unloving (translated without natural affection in the KJV) literally means, “without family love.” Paul said that the end times would be marked by an attitude of growing disregard of normal family love and obligation.

Men will be . . . slanderers: Men have always told hurtful lies about other men; but today, in media and in politics, slander has been elevated to both big business and big money.

In politics, candidates routinely and knowingly distort their opponent’s positions, just to make their competition look bad - and they don’t feel bad at all about the lying if it helps them get elected. In media, editors and news directors serve as prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner to innocents who are wrongly suspected - and usually refuse to apologize when they are proven to be wrong.

Men will be . . . without self control: The story of no self-control can be written across almost everything today - sex, drugs, alcohol, food, work. Whatever we do, we often do it out of control.

In the 1990s the Los Angeles Times published an article about Michelle, who was a successful writer and editor. She feared the day her husband might discover her secret stash of credit cards, her secret post office box or the other tricks she used to hide how much money she spent shopping for herself. “I make as much money as my husband . . . If I want a $500 suit from Ann Taylor, I deserve it and don’t want to be hassled about it. So the easiest thing to do is lie,” she explained. Last year, when her husband forced her to destroy one of her credit cards, Michelle went out and got a new one without telling him. “I do live in fear. If he discovers this new VISA, he’ll kill me.” A school teacher explained more: “Men just don’t understand that shopping is our drug of choice,” she joked, even while admitting that some months her salary goes exclusively to paying the minimum balance on her credit cards. “Walking through the door of South Coast Plaza is like walking though the gates of heaven. God made car trunks for women to hide shopping bags in.” A young professional named Mary explained: “Shopping is my recreation. It’s my way of pampering myself. When you walk into [a mall] and you see all the stores, it’s like something takes over and you get caught up in it.”

Men will be . . . brutal: Cruelty and brutality are nothing new in the world; but Paul wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit that the last days would be marked by a particular brutality.

A newspaper article in the 1990s described how an Oxnard man was accused of murdering his roommate after the two disagreed over the brand of beer the man had brought home. The accused man brought home Natural Light, and the murdered man wanted him to bring home Michelob. As he poured the Natural Light down the kitchen sink, he was stabbed to death.

We like to think of ourselves as more advanced than previous generations; but more people have been murdered in the 20th century than ever before; these are violent, brutal times.

Men will be . . . despisers of good: There just seems to be too many examples of this in modern society to pick out examples. For one example, there was a time when most people thought letting people live was good and killing them was generally a bad thing. Today, we live in a culture when the simple good of life is now despised and attacked, through abortion, through the glorifying of violence and murder, through the new agenda of pushing homosexuality and transgenders, and through euthanasia.

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

These characteristics are all about one thing: Self. Men are traitors because of self, they are headstrong because of self, they are haughty because of self, and they are lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God because of self.

This attitude marks our current age. For example, think of national advertising slogans from the late 1990s:
• Nothing is taboo.
• Break all the rules.
• To know no boundaries.
• Relax: No rules here.
• Peel off inhibitions. Find your own road.
• We are all hedonists and want to do what feels good. That’s what makes us human.
• Living without boundaries.
• Just do it.

The message is the same: You make your own rules. You answer to no one. You are the one that matters. Your universe revolves around you. (David Guzik excerpt)

I am finding these characteristics to be much more evident these days when I go out. There's a lot of very aggressive, belligerent people and drivers today, who use their vehicles like tanks, and weapons.  

Paul's description fits our day very well:
2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 
2Ti 3:6  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 
2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

Most who to teach the bible today, know the only way the majority will listen to anything, is if most verses on morality, the ten commandments, and those that speak about discipline and correction are deleted. People do not want to hear about repentance, changing their conduct, or their hearts. They want to be told how wonderful they are, how to achieve success; by deceit, and corruption. Jesus called out the Pharisee's as "whitewashed tombs", and there's plenty of this today.

People who live in the flesh, eventually reap the rewards of their doings. But, unless the Lord is able to bring them to their senses, they will keep going in sin, until something happens, and they end up flat on their backs in bed, or dead. If someone tries to speak to them of the dangers of what they are doing, the reactions range from laughter, mocking, scorn, and rejection. When I get these reactions, I leave them to themselves, and just pray for them, giving them to God, and ask Him to convict them, and then walk away. I know there's no point in going any further with them.

In these evil days we are seeing it escalate every day-the deeds of the flesh are these:

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 
Gal 5:21  Envying's, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

When you look inside yourself-be honest, do you find any of the things above, working in you? I don't need, or want an answer-but you will answer to God one day about it. It's your choice, go to Him in repentance, and ask for His help to change-or face a coming eternity in hell when your life is over here. 

In these last days, the difficulties are going to increase. But, the word of God remains the same-it has the answers to every situation and every problem we face. It's up to us to decide whether we will follow those in the world; or allow the word of God to be our foundation for living.

Rom 3:3  For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 
Rom 3:4  God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. 
Lorna Couillard

​Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. James 2:19

A great many people believe that if they profess to have faith in God, this assures them of heaven after their death. Most churches will never use this verse of text for a sermon, because it causes them to have to dig deeper into scripture to find out what James meant by it, and when they do, it brings out even more controversy for them. Why?

Because though their confession is very good, it can't change their state of damnation, or their condition. The demons believe and confess Christ for who He is, but they do not love, or obey Him. 

Mat 8:29  And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? See also Mar 3:11, and Luke 4:41, 4:34

Their proclamation and confession of who Jesus Christ is, does not justify them in their damned state, it only increases their torment; they shudder with horror, they believe and tremble, are increasingly tormented; but they have no desire to change the state of their conditions.

Many people who sit in pews on Sunday, are in this same category. They believe in the existence of one God. How far their knowledge may extend respecting God, we cannot know; but they never go beyond this point. There is never evidence in their conduct, or change of lifestyle, that proves that they have opened their heart, and allowed Jesus to enter their souls, and abide in them. There's no evidence in their life, that they have taken the step Jesus tells us we must do, to be truly saved-which is to be born again. 

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (it will be a good idea to read all of ch. 3)

Jesus’ reply to Nicodemus shatters the Jewish assumption that their racial identity - their old birth - assured them a place in God’s Kingdom. Jesus makes it plain that a man’s first birth does not assure him of the kingdom - only being born again gives this assurance. 

This act of being born again, happens when the person sees in his mind and understands with his heart that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah  prophesied in the Old Testament-and believes He is the Son of God, indeed-God in the flesh, and confesses this with his mouth, and repents of his sins, and surrender's their life to Jesus, making Him Savior and Lord of their lives.
​
John Wesley brings out some good points:
"Thou believest there is one God - I allow this: but this proves only that thou hast the same faith with the devils. Nay, they not only believe, but tremble - At the dreadful expectation of eternal torments. So far is that faith from either justifying or saving them that have it."

A living faith in Christ will be evident in the person being willing to give of time, and money, as God enables them, and a pattern of good living habits. There's much teaching on these principles throughout the Bible, and takes a lifetime to put into practice. There will be a boldness in their confession of faith in Christ, they will not be ashamed to speak of their faith and love for Him, and will be open in their defense of Him, if they see the Name of Christ reproached. They will not avoid persecution, but will be courageous in standing for their faith in the midst of adversity, and scorn. This is living faith. Jesus tells us, if we are ashamed of Him before people, He will be ashamed of us, on Judgment Day:

Mar 8:38  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

But, it's a choice. Satan was thrown out of heaven because of his rebellion against God, that's why the demons cry out to Jesus, but will never change, because they were thrown out of heaven at the same time as Satan. A third of the angels were cast out with him, and are here on earth now, tormenting people, and deceiving them. Jesus said he saw Satan fall from heaven. For reference to this read Isaiah ch. 14 and Luke 10:18-and corresponding verses.

Luk 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 

Many who speak of faith in God is well and good-but the question is...Who is your God? What is His Name? This is the defining difference between living faith, and dead works, and dead faith in a false god. Peter breaks it down very well in Acts ch. 4-

Act 4:10  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 
Act 4:11  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 
Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

We are living in a day, and an hour, when the dividing line is getting much clearer, and more dangerous. God's people are going to be tested in this area, to a much greater degree. Those with living faith, and those who are pretenders-will be clearly seen.
I'll leave this with a question:
​Is what your living for, worth dying for?
Lorna Couillard

The Lord Jesus Christ; the embodiment of love, Love manifest in the flesh. But, did Jesus ever get angry?  Let's take a look at this.

Mat 21:12  And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 
​
Mat 21:13  And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. (see also Mar 11:17, and Luke 1946)

I'd like to have been there when he was giving his mind to the Pharisee's, and turning the temple upside down, turning over the tables and ruining the moneychangers livelihood. It does my heart good to see He was completely man, and completely God, and knew what it was like to come to the end of his rope with people in their wickedness.

Indeed they had become a den of thieves and den of robbers. The language indicates that it was a corrupt and fraudulent traffic, which a corrupt and fraudulent priesthood had permitted to encroach on the worship of God. It is a desecration of religious institutions to use them for worldly gain. Nothing has changed in 2000 years, it is happening today. Religion is a big, profitable business.

I recommend reading the entire chapter of Matthew 23; because there you see Jesus as you will probably never be told of him in any church today. But, here is a small portion:

Mat 23:29  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 
Mat 23:30  And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 
Mat 23:31  Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 
Mat 23:32  Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 
Mat 23:33  Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 

He calls them exactly what they are, a brood of vipers, full of venom, deadly as serpents, treacherous as the lurking snake. So John had called them nearly four years before (Mat_3:7).

​The same critics who had found fault in the preceding chapter were standing there now, they never ceased to dog him, to catch him in some discretion. There was also present, a man whose right hand was withered, and they watched to see whether the Lord would heal him on the Sabbath.

Mar 3:1  And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. 
Mar 3:2  And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. 
Mar 3:3  And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. 
Mar 3:4  And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. 
Mar 3:5  And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 

As I study these verses, I then go to Jesus' specific teaching on what to do when we get angry; because everyone does, just as he did when he was here. When teaching the people on the Sermon on the Mount-He taught them how to pray, and spoke these words:

Mat 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 
Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 
Mat 6:11  Give us this day our daily bread. 
Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 
Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 
Mat 6:14  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 
Mat 6:15  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

This clear teaching, is consistent throughout the New Testament Scriptures, and the foundation of all biblical teaching.

Again, Paul's admonition by the Holy Spirit in Ephesians simple; be angry but do not sin, and forgive.
​
Eph 4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 
Eph 4:27  Neither give place to the devil. 
Eph 4:28  Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 
Eph 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 
Eph 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 
Eph 4:31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 
Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 

He didn't say it would be easy, but it is his command to us. He doesn't tell me to condone what was done, or like it, or pretend to be friends with those who have done the wrong. I am told to forgive, and let God take care of it. He will, in His time. He holds the balances in His hands, and I know from years of experience that He is just and righteous in all His ways. I can trust God to take care of me. You can also.

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 

Forgiveness sets the one offended free, and keeps the door of fellowship with God open. Nothing anyone can do to me, is worth losing the connection with the Lord that is so vital in everyday living.

Forgiveness is a choice, and the best one, always.
​Lorna Couillard

And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. 
And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant
before the people; 
And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) 
That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. 
And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed
​over on dry ground, until all the people were
passed clean over Jordan. Jos 3:13-17

The verses above describes a miracle that God performed for Joshua that was very much the same as what was done for Moses at the Red Sea, but many have never heard of, and never read of it themselves. It's a shame, people don't know what they are missing really, the Bible is the most exciting, and interesting book on the planet. The adventures, and exploits of God's people in the pages of scripture-Hollywood could never duplicate.
​
Let's break down these verses, and glean some wisdom from them. The devotion below is from Streams in the Desert.

The people were not to wait in their camps until the way was opened, they were to walk by faith. They were to break camp, pack up their goods, form in line to march, and move down to the very banks before the river would be opened.
If they had come down to the edge of the river and then had stopped for the stream to divide before they stepped into it, they would have waited in vain. They must take one step into the water before the river would be cut off.
We must learn to take God at His Word, and go straight on in duty, although we see no way in which we can go forward. The reason we are so often balked by difficulties is that we expect to see them removed before we try to pass through them.
If we would move straight on in faith, the path would be opened for us. We stand still, waiting for the obstacle to be removed, when we ought to go forward as if there were no obstacles. -- Evening Thoughts
What a lesson Columbus gave to the world of perseverance in the face of tremendous difficulties.

Now, wind the tape forward to the day of Columbus, and his monumental feat of courage, to take three schooners, each maned by a crew, and people wanting to leave the country of their origins, into an unknown future.

Think about it, people can knit pick, find fault with the man, and those who chose to take this voyage with him at the risk of their lives-but I can say without fear of debate, that few would take up the challenges he took on. There's always many who talk with great bravado-but, he did it. He didn't just talk about it. The real problem with his critics-is jealousy and envy.

Those who got on the boats with him, shared the same dangers, risks, and hardships. But they were willing to take the risks, because they weren't willing to live in the oppression and tyranny they were under anymore, they were willing to face death, to achieve freedom, and the ability to live out their faith, and forge a new life. Those who made it, lived to see wonderous sights and a new continent, which changed history forever. We here in America, live and still reap the benefits of their courage, faith, and boldness to this day; even those who hate him, and would like to destroy what history spoke of him.

As the story of Joshua above shows us, it wasn't a matter of waiting until they felt the courage, or waiting to see the waters part before they moved-it was taking the steps and moving on, into the adversity. As they moved on and stepped their feet into the water, God met their faith, and parted the waters as they moved forward.

What he accomplished was biblical, in the same level of courage, faith, and determination that Moses and Joshua had. 

No one, can take this from Christopher Columbus.
​Lorna Couillard

Sail On!
​Behind him lay the gray Azores,
Behind the gates of Hercules;
Before him not the ghost of shores,
Before him only shoreless seas.
The good Mate said: "Now we must pray,
For lo! the very stars are gone.
Brave Admiral, speak, what shall I say?"
"Why, say, ’sail on! sail on! and on!’"

"My men grow mutinous day by day;
My men grow ghastly wan and weak!"
The stout Mate thought of home; a spray
Of salt wave washed his swarthy cheek.
"What shall I say, brave Admiral, say,
If we sight naught but seas at dawn?"
"Why, you shall say at break of day,
’sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!’"

They sailed. They sailed. Then spake the Mate:
"This mad sea shows its teeth tonight.
He curls his lip, he lies in wait,
With lifted teeth, as if to bite!
Brave Admiral, say but one good word;
What shall we do when hope is gone?"
The words leapt like a leaping sword:
"Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!"

Then, pale and worn, he kept his deck
And peered through darkness. Ah! that night
Of all dark nights! And then a speck--
A light! A light! A light! A light!
It grew, a starlit flag unfurled!
It grew to be Time’s burst of dawn.
He gained a world; he gave that world
Its grandest lesson: "On! sail on!"
-- Joaquin Miller
Faith that goes forward triumphs.

​For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. Romans 14:8

In this one verse, there's a vast area of wisdom we can glean from, if it's broken down. I'll unpack some of it. Commentaries and studies from scholars can be read that would take weeks to go into-this is just a short excerpt, of some of what I've found within it.
​
1. A Christian does not live to please just himself, but to please the Lord. This is to be our chief goal in life.

2. In pleasing the Lord, we are to seek His will, and be willing to go forth, and put the hand to the plow, and begin the work. The tools we use, aren't the important issue-it's picking up what we have, and using it for the calling He's given us. Moses started with a rod-a stick. Often times, people will put more expectations on us, than God does, to fulfill His will, and what He's called us to do. It's best to learn the voice of the Lord, and follow Him.

3. Surrender is the key word-many start out with great gusto, and high expectations. Then comes waves of adversity, obstacles, we make mistakes, go in the wrong directions, and may have to back up, or change course in our work, and discouragement can bog us down. Then surrender turns into an inward struggle-and questions arise "is this really God's will, or my own?" The only way to get this answered-is by prayer and dialogue with God, and honesty with Him. He's promised if we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him.

4. Doing the will of the Lord is a life long process of dying to self, and rising with Him, in newness of life-and moving on again, with the focus on Christ as we go. Surrender is as Jesus' describes-"My sheep hear my voice, and follow me."

​Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 
Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 

5. We come to know in practical terms, that our life comes from Him, and springs up from His death and resurrection-we enthrone Him as Lord whether we be living, or dead. This, is total surrender.

The short devotion below, expounds more on this point.
Lorna Couillard

The weak conscience needs further instruction. It is anemic and requires the hilltop, with its further view and bracing air; but in the meantime its owner must be guided by its promptings. A man must not take a certain course merely because others do so, unless he can justify their bolder faith and larger freedom. By thought and prayer and the study of God’s Word, conscience becomes educated and strengthened, and ceases to worry as to whether we should be vegetarian or not; whether we should observe saints’ days, or adopt a specific method of observing the Sabbath. Some people are constantly wondering and questioning about such things, as though their eternal salvation depended on minute observances.
​
Such would have found but scant comfort from the Apostle. He would have said, “Do the best you know, and when you have once adopted a certain method of life, follow it humbly, until some wider view is opened before you by the Spirit of God.” The main principle for us all is to live and die to please our Lord. He is our Master, and it will be for Him to allot our rewards. In the meantime let us not judge one another, but live in love, leaving each to work out the plan of his own life as his Master directs. F.B. Meyer

​But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify
​the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24

​We read in the book of Samuel that the moment that David was crowned at Hebron, "All the Philistines came up to seek David." And the moment we get anything from the Lord worth contending for, then the devil comes to seek us.
​
When the enemy meets us at the threshold of any great work for God, let us accept it as "a token of salvation," and claim double blessing, victory, and power. Power is developed by resistance. The cannon carries twice as far because the exploding power has to find its way through resistance. The way electricity is produced in the powerhouse yonder is by the sharp friction of the revolving wheels. And so we shall find some day that even Satan has been one of God’s agencies of blessing. -- Days of Heaven upon Earth

​A hero is not fed on sweets,
Daily his own heart he eats;
Chambers of the great are jails,
And head winds right for royal sails.
-- Emerson

​Tribulation is the way to triumph. The valley-way opens into the highway. Tribulation’s imprint is on all great things. Crowns are cast in crucibles. Chains of character that wind about the feet of God are forged in earthly flames. No man is greatest victor till he has trodden the winepress of woe. With seams of anguish deep in His brow, the "Man of Sorrows" said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation"-- but after this sob comes the psalm of promise, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." The footprints are traceable everywhere. Bloodmarks stain the steps that lead to thrones. Sears are the price of scepters. Our crowns will be wrested from the giants we conquer. Grief has always been the lot of greatness. It is an open secret.  (Streams in the Desert)

​"The mark of rank in nature.
Is capacity for pain;
And the anguish of the singer
Makes the sweetest of the strain."

​Tribulation has always marked the trail of the true reformer. It is the story of Paul, Luther, Savonarola, Knox, Wesley, and all the rest of the mighty army. They came through great tribulation to their place of power.
​
Every great book has been written with the author’s blood. "These are they that have come out of great tribulation." Who was the peerless poet of the Greeks? Homer. But that illustrious singer was blind. Who wrote the fadeless dream of "Pilgrim’s Progress"? A prince in royal purple upon a couch of ease? Nay! The trailing splendor of that vision gilded the dingy walls of old Bedford jail while John Bunyan, a princely prisoner, a glorious genius, made a faithful transcript of the scene.

Great is the facile conqueror;
Yet haply, he, who, wounded sore,
Breathless, all covered o’er with blood and sweat,
Sinks fainting, but fighting evermore
Is greater yet.-
author unknown

​The Greek word in Act_20:20; Act_20:27 for kept back and shunned is a nautical word which literally means “reefed up.” It was so natural for Paul to use a nautical word which he must have been hearing every day. But, notice how this heroic soul alludes to the lightness with which he held comfort and life, if only he might serve his Master perfectly, and fulfill in full measure his opportunities. How Paul loved that great word grace! It was his perpetual theme, and as we come to know ourselves better, and consider how little we have deserved of God, we also shall have but one theme. We are debtors to the sovereign grace of God, and have nothing to pay.
​F.B. Meyer