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Five People GOD Commands You Not to Help!  By “Illustrated Theology.”

FYI, after the “Irrational Generosity” post, a trusted spiritual mentor, Rob, actually he is half my age (note age has no correlation to spiritual wisdom), within minutes, sent me this You Tube for my review. It spoke exactly the truth Loretta & I needed to hear and notice I went to the trouble to place its 12 minute script in print (2900 words) so you can review it and better ruminate on its implications. I must say I’m intrigued by their other titles, a few of which are below.  

Other Video You Tube Titles :

Jesus revealed In Every Book of the Old Testament

Don’t Fall For These 5 Satanic Traps

How To Talk WITH God and NOT TO God / Pray Effectively

How to LET the Holy Spirit LEAD Your Life

How to Differentiate Your VOICE and God’s VOICE

Five People GOD Commands You Not to Help!  By “Illustrated Theology.”

If I told you that God commands not to help certain kinds of people, would you believe it? It almost sounds wrong to say that.  We’re constantly told that Christians must help everyone, say yes to every request, and never refuse anyone in need. But, when you actually read the Bible carefully, you discover something surprising. God does not approve of every kind of help. In fact, there are certain types of people that when you help them, you’re actually disobeying the Lord and you may even be putting your own life at risk. Stay in this video until the end because I’m going to show you exactly who these people are.

  1. The first kind of person you should not help is the Manipulator.

Proverbs 12:22 states clearly “lying lips are abomination to the Lord but they that deal truly are His delight.” Look at the word God uses. Abomination. In other words, manipulation is not just a personality trait, not just the way they are, much less, emotional neediness. It is sin. God does not look at lies with pity. He looks at them with disgust, and when you support someone who lives in this game of deception, even without realizing it, you are not healthy. You are sponsoring their sin and you know the mistake most Christians make here, thinking that loving someone means saying yes to everything, that we are obligated to fix everyone’s problems. But that idea is wrong, because Jesus didn’t do that. There was a time when a man came to him and said, “Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.” And how did Jesus reply? “Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?” In other words, Jesus refused to get involved in that issue. Jesus did not allow people to place him in roles that were not His. He knew exactly when to help and when to say, “That’s not mine to handle.” He would not let himself be manipulated by a greedy man. So, understand this once and for all. If someone only remembers you when they need something, if they constantly back you into a corner with phrases like, “If you were a real Christian, you’d do this for me,” if they make you feel guilty for protecting your peace or your boundaries, that is not a cry for help, that is manipulation and helping a manipulator does not set anyone free. It only strengthens their control over you. That’s why sometimes the most biblical response you can have is not to extend your hand, but to cut off access. Love is not saying yes to blackmail. Love is saying, “I’m here for you, but I will not play your game.”

2. Now I need to talk about a Lazy person,

the kind of person that many Christian’s support, thinking they’re doing charity, when in reality, they’re getting in the way of what God wants to teach the lazy, and I’m not talking about someone going through a hard time, struggling with unemployment, trying to rebuild their life. That kind of person deserves help, encouragement, prayer, and support. The problem is the one who never takes a step, yet wants life to move forward by itself. They’re always asking for prayer, but have never bend their own knees, always asking for help, but never lift a finger to help themselves.

On this Paul, says in II Thessalonians 3:10 “For even when we were with you, we commanded you that if any would not work, neither should he eat. Pay attention to the wording “would not”, not “could not.” The difference is massive. Some people suffer because of things they cannot change, but others suffer because they chose not to make an effort, and what happens? You step in and help, you fix the situation. The person feels relieved and you think now they’ll change but they don’t. The following week they’re back and you help again. Then they’re back and you help again, until one day you realize the person is entrapped in hardship.

They’re comfortable in the dependency you built, and Paul continues saying, “There were some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy bodies.” In other words, the lazy has no energy to work, but has plenty of time to gossip. The apostle is making it clear, if someone does not occupy themselves with what they should, they will end up occupied with what they shouldn’t, so if you’re carrying someone who refuses to walk, stop helping, not to abandon them, but to let God do what you’ve been preventing. Sometimes the fall you keep rescuing them from is exactly the push God wants to use to wake them up, so they can finally overcome laziness.

3. The Repeat Fool

Another kind of person you should not help is the Repeat Fool. This one is a specialist in draining your patience, because unlike the lazy, he seems like he wants help. He listens to advice, nods his head, agrees with every word you say; sometimes he even cries. He says that this time, it’ll be different and you believe it, but after a week, there he is again, in the same mistake, with the same speech, with the same empty promises. You pray for him, talk to him, give advice, send him Bible verses, sermons, videos, devotionals, and what changes? Nothing! Why? He doesn’t want transformation; he wants relief. He wants you to become his spiritual nursing home, where he can rest between one fall and the next, without ever having to truly decide to break away from what destroys him.

The Bible describes this kind of person perfectly. Proverbs 26:11 says, “As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.” Strong, yes! Disgusting, also! But that is exactly what happens. Some people leave a terrible relationship, only to enter another just like it. They get out of debt, and go right back to spending the same way. They ask for prayer over a sin, but change nothing in their routine, to overcome that sin. They don’t want deliverance, they want anesthesia, and then the question starts hammering in your head. “Do I have to keep helping? And the biblical answer is, “You help those who want to get out, not those who just want to rest between stumbles, because if you keep rescuing them every time, you are no longer a helper, you’ve become a lifeguard for someone who likes to drown.

 The Bible is direct & explicit about this. Proverbs 23:9 says, “Speak not in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.” In other words, do not waste counsel on someone who doesn’t want change, because your time is valuable, your energy is limited, and while you’re trying to save someone who doesn’t want to be saved, there is someone beside you who does want to be transformed, but you don’t see them, because you’re too busy rescuing someone who turned foolishness into a lifestyle.

4. Proud

 If the fool wears you out by repetition, the proud wears you out by resistance. You show them the Bible, they argue, you give them advice, they roll their eyes. You point out the danger. They respond saying they know what they’re doing. And the most ironic part, sometimes this kind even comes asking for help, but on their terms. They want a solution without admitting they were wrong. They want healing, without confessing, they are sick. They want change, without humbling themselves.

About this kind of person, James 4:6 says “But he giveth more grace, wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” Look at that word, resisteth. God opposes. God stands against pride. Translation, if even God is not helping someone because they refuse to humble themselves and admit their need, who are you to try?

And there’s more! Proverbs 26:12 says, “Seeth thou a man wise in his own conceit; there is more hope of a fool than of him.” In other words, it’s easier to convince a fool than a proud man, because the fool still knows he needs help. He may fall 1000 times but at some level, he recognizes he is lost, but the proud thinks he’s right. He’s not only in error, he is convinced his error is the right path, and someone who thinks they’re fine, will never seek change.

And remember the rich young ruler, Jesus spoke truth in love, showed him the way, offered him the chance to follow him. The man heard it, understood it, but preferred to keep the status and pride that came with his will. He didn’t just walk away sad. He walked away chained to his own pedestal and what did Jesus do, did he chase after him, saying “Wait, I take it back. I didn’t mean it that strongly!” Jesus let him go because some people only learn when they lose.

5. Quarrelsome One

Another kind of person you should not help is the Quarrelsome One, and I’m not talking about someone who defends the truth firmly. I’m talking about someone who creates conflict wherever they go. They fight at work, argue in traffic, stir up trouble in the family, cause division in the church, they are never wrong! They are always the one being mistreated, and you with your Christian heart, go there trying to be a peacemaker. You defend them, take their side, argue on their behalf, thinking you’re being righteous. But as soon as one war ends, they’re already in another, because they don’t want peace. They want attention.

Proverbs 19:19 speaks exactly about such a person. “A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment, for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.” In other words, if you put out the fire that he himself started, get ready to put out another tomorrow, because he will create another mess. That’s why the Bible is stating clearly, “Do not help the quarrelsome one. Let him reap the fruit of his own chaos,” because many times, the discipline he needs, does not come in the form of a hug, it comes in the form of consequence, and you know what the danger is? If you keep rescuing him, You stop being a peacemaker, and become an accomplice.

You are not bringing peace, you are prolonging the chaos. Because as long as someone keeps bailing him out, he will never change. So, understand, it is not a lack of love to let the quarrelsome person feel the weight of their own choices. Sometimes the best help is to step aside and let God deal with them.

 So in review, who are the five types of people the Bible says you should not help?

  1. First, the MANIPULATOR who doesn’t ask for help, but controls.
  2. Second, the LAZY who doesn’t want change, only comfort.
  3. Third, the REPEAT FOOL who keeps making the same mistakes and uses you as temporary relief.
  4. Fourth, the PROUD who wants a solution without admitting fault.
  5. Fifth, the QUARRELSOME who is always stirring conflict with everyone.

BOTTOM LINE:

Maybe now you have that question hammering in your mind, “But if I stop helping, am I sinning?” The answer is simple. It depends. If you are helping someone who truly wants change, keep going. The Bible commands us to carry one another’s burdens. But if you are sustaining sin, feeding your responsibility, or protecting someone God is trying to confront, then that is not love, it is disobedience.

Illustrated Theology Advertising:

Now if you want to go deeper in your Bible study check out my exclusive resource “Mind Maps” of all the books of the Bible designed to make your learning easier and more effective. You’ll also get bonus materials to take your Bible journey to the next level. Don’t miss out. Click the link in the description to get instant access and before you go, don’t forget to watch the next video that’s showing up on your screen. It’s one you won’t want to miss, “Stay in Peace.” See you next time!

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IRRATIONAL GENEROSITY

Welcome to 2MinuteMark, a weekly email with one agenda– Inspiration from God’s Word.

It was a beautiful watch—

A gift from work,

For going above and beyond.

A lofty sales goal met.

But my friend Christian moves too quickly

For fancy watches or jewelry

To slow him down.

The first Sunday after receiving it,

He wore it to church.

A few people noticed.

A couple made comments.

But one young man was mesmerized.

“What a beautiful watch,” he said.

“It’s the most gorgeous watch I’ve ever seen.”

Without hesitation,

Without thinking,

Christian slipped it off his wrist.

“Here,” he said. “It’s yours.”

The young man was stunned.

The gesture didn’t compute.

Why would someone give someone like him

Such a beautiful watch?

Christian didn’t have an explanation.

He just knew—

It was the right thing to do.

The young man accepted the gift,

Still dazed.

“Thank you,” he murmured.

Many of us use logic.

Some of us use percentages.

(Actually, not a bad idea.)

But logic and percentages

Often miss the point of generosity.

If we want to be truly generous,

We must embrace irrationality.

Jesus applauds its craziness.

As a woman anointed Him

With the most expensive perfume,

The disciples protested:

“Why this waste? They asked.

This perfume could have been sold at a high price

And the money given to the poor.”

— Matthew 26:8–9

The poor—

A worthy focus of generosity.

Who could argue?

Apparently, Jesus.

He reminded them:

“The poor you will always have with you.”

Poverty arrived when mankind chose sin.

It’s a fixture of our fallen world.

And it will remain.

Generosity has many facets—

Need and relationships,

Purpose and fulfillment,

Timing and trust.

But in the end, it comes down to this:

What is my priority?

We won’t cure poverty.

(That may be news to some.)

But there is a solution—

Not a logical, dollars-and-cents solution,

But an eternal one.

A relationship.

Rooted in God’s priority for us:

Love God.

Love others.

It will cost us—

Not just a year’s wages

Like the perfume,

But a lifetime.

A few Sundays later,

The young man approached Christian.

“I was done with church,” he said.

“That was going to be my last Sunday.

But I prayed,

‘God, please give me a visible sign

That You’re real.’”

He held up the watch.

Smiling, he said, “I’m back.”

(Am I ready for a similar life-enhancing generosity??)

–Mark Coblentz Walnut Creek Cheese & Market

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BOTTOM LINE: For Building His Natural & Acquired Immunity For Kingdom Service

Listen my friends, if we can just get our minds back on the right track during this sanctification process, and hear the Lord is not telling us that we’re necessarily going to have to live in a slum all our life, that’s not what He’s saying! No, but we do have to make our choices, for we all will be both commonly and uniquely tried during these boots on the ground “gettin-ready” encounters!

You do know what happens when we’re not tried & tested? Usually the same thing that happens when we never work out, never go to the gym. We just get all mushy soft & weak. If we desire vigor, we must get get appropriate exercise. Perhaps, even lift weights. When we lift weights, what happens? The weights oppose our muscles. Likewise, to strengthen our faith, just as a parent lovingly applies discipline for their child’s course correction, we need something that will oppose our faith, something to challenge, discourage or diminish our faith. For all the while we’re fighting desperately to remain committed to Jesus, to stand up in obedience, we mature, we gain His righteousness, we are humbled, strengthened; such that nothing can take us down. That’s the sanctification your Father is desiring for us. 

Consider what happens when a baby begins to crawl? Do you not know their muscles are incredibly weak? But they will crawl until they can’t move. They experience, as we do in the gym, when we do reps until we experience “muscle burn-out.” They exert everything they have when they start crawling inch by inch, in order to get somewhere, such that months later, their bodies get strong & sufficiently coordinated to crawl fast, eventually pulling up, taking steps, that leads to walking. Initially, they only walk several steps and fall over because their legs are weak, but they get up and do it again, over and over, until they master balance and gain strength. And when they  DO begin walking, they do not get up saying, “Oh, how many steps is it to the front door? That comes much later, such as when you have a mobility problem with your legs or your strength. Right? When you utilize “walkers” featuring a seat to rest on, brakes to stop with, and a basket for your treasures!

After maturing into adulthood, you exchange fighting mobility & gravity and gaining social skills for the likes of, whatever for example, is stressing you out right now. You’ve been, and are yet BEING, prepared to overcome everything that lies before you in your journey to sanctification; every trial, every tribulation, every relationship disappointment or rejection, that will happen in your life. Perhaps somebody lied when they flippantly told you, “You’re not supposed to be in this situation!”

Yes, we must, and will be, in order to learn to overcome them. Remember, when we’re opposing whatever, the process becomes just like you learning to walk, or, when we’re very young, and we don’t yet have immunity against colds & viruses; thus, exposure makes us sick, but every time we suffer sickness, we gradually build up our immunity to that bug, such that whenever it comes around again, our “unconsciously built-in” immunity within our body will fight it off, before we’re even aware of its presence. We literally have no idea how many “bugs” we’re exposed to every day, whether it be in you body’s natural immune system, or even more importantly, because we’re spiritually immunized by God’s Instant Justification, and by His continual sanctifying natural immunity. HALLELUJAH!  

That’s exactly what the Lord is working out for each of us every minute of our lives. He doesn’t merely rescue us from the devil. Rather, we’re here to overcome & defeat the devil, so that when the serpent does his dirt, we step right on his head and keep on walking. Unfortunately, too many Christians today believe we’re supposed to be “rescued” from darkness, when actually, the Lord desires to make us spiritually stronger than the darkness.

Can we see that? That we’re being made stronger all the while we’re being sanctified & reinforced, as with our bodies’ natural immunity? Such that we will unconsciously build our spiritual strength such that we will be immune to the devil and anything he represents? That’s what’s happening here! Do you understand how much training that requires? In order to make us strong, So Satan can’t take us out.

But we certainly don’t act like that! Out & about, I’m hearing that the serpent is trying to kill us and wreck our lives, that our lives are a mess, and this that and the other… No, actually, God is helping us become immune to darkness, the devil, and anything he represents. We’re learning to walk above the darkness and its effect on us! Now do we see why God does not come and rescue everybody? He need not do that! He knows exactly what He’s doing in order to grow us, such that we ASAP possess His different mindset. Do we all see that?

Somehow, we must make ourselves mindful that these trials and tribulations are directly from the love of God. Can we remember that? He is faithful to make us stronger than anything Satan represents, stronger than all darkness, truly being His children. Don’t we see that? And, since we’re still alive today, and here, by strategically believing in Christ, that means his power is working, because the darkness that affected us earlier, does no longer. Hallelujah!

BOTTOM LINE:

 We must remind ourselves of His provision for His Natural & Acquired IMMUNITY, so we’ll not be one of those who would believe we’re supposed to go to Disney World on vacation, when in fact, we’re being strategically and tactically prepared for His kingdom service here & now, UNTIL He calls / takes us home. That PROCESS will establish the solid foundation we need to survive and thrive on our journey to the Celestial City.

BONUS SCRIPTURE FOR FREE. Had this read to me this morning while walking. These 11 verses are worth more than all the above. Just saying….merlin

Hebrews 12:5-15 (MSG)

5. So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either.
6. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects.
7. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training,
8. the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God?
9. We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live?
10. While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best.
11. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.
12. So don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet!
13. Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!
14. Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you’ll never get so much as a glimpse of God.
15. Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time.

ENJOY YOUR DAY!

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This world is not your paradise. It never was, and it’s not supposed to be. THIS WORLD IS YOUR “PROCESSING STAGE” For Your BOOTS ON THE GROUND TRAINING!

The second problem is that our interpretations of those expectations are wrong because too many people believe that if they’re not blessed right now the way they think they should be blessed, that somehow God is angry at them! So, they interpret their current conditions as proof of the level of their relationship they now have with the Lord. This is also incorrect and merits further scriptural research.

At one time, our young people had an expectation that everything would be OK in their lives, and never really believed they’d experience real opposition in spiritual matters. So when opposition came, it devastated a great many of these once children, now adults. After you share scripture with them, and they realize they are supposed to have this understanding in their lives, they become the happiest people on earth. You know why? They now expect to be opposed! They’re not even afraid when the trials come. They are totally different  once they are Biblically clued in. This generation today know they have the truth. They know they are to have fiery trials, for when they carry the Gospel, they know Satan will oppose them in the worst way. And when it happens, this generation are not distracted. Why? Because people are finally sharing God’s truth with them. And when you share the truth with them, they do not expect their life to be a paradigm. They expect to be raised by the living God His way.

See, nobody told we baby boomers that. Every time I get an opportunity to talk to someone young, I tell them that. This world is not your paradise. It never was, and it’s not supposed to be. THIS WORLD IS TO PROCESS YOU! WITH YOUR BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN THE TRENCHES 24/7/365!!!. And once they understand what it is, they become the happiest, most joyful generation on earth. No depression, no bad habits. It is amazing.

But may we agree, especially for some of us older ones, that we weren’t told as clearly during our younger days as they are now, were we? Or perhaps, we were told but we ignored the admonitions. We, of the Silent Generation (1928-45), & Baby Boomers (1946-1964) 7 Gen X (1965-80) trudged thru the days of the Korean War, the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Crisis, the Vietnam War, the Three key U.S. Assassinations, the Moral Majority, Name It & Claim It, the Prosperity Gospel, and all the other such evangelical seeker sensitive pop methodologies…

And so today, every time I hear older people say, and it occurs quite often, when something goes wrong in their lives, “What did I do wrong?” You know what that implies? When a person says, “What did I do wrong,” they were likely believing that they were indeed, doing everything right! Possible?

BEWARE EVERYONE, for that’s exactly NOT His righteous attitude! I’m fearing those speaking those five words, “what did I do wrong (WDIDW)?” are basing their confidence and security in a church culture, based on following all the prescribed steps, or checking all the boxes, much like the Pharisees. Contrast that synthetic, “form & no substance” to rather, His compelling & enlightening being called, convicted, forgiven, transformed, empowered, including being justified, sanctified, and eventually glorified, Christ Followers!  Absolutely no comparison!

Too often church attendance, even membership, is merely a culture expression, so when tribulation floods in, the cultural robot goes sprawling into depression, or worse. But when a spirit empowered person understanding our life’s trials are designed to raise us up in the Lord’s way, such that, when troubles do appear, we are equipped to react unconsciously, much as our body does with its natural immunity. That’s when we exhibit solidarity with Christ, like some of the older people we knew earlier in our lives, like our grandparents, for example, when everything was falling apart, or blowing up around them, they’d just sit there rocking in their chairs saying, “You know, you’re all overthinking this, come, sit down, and have some tea.” And all the while, you’re in your mind saying, “How can they ever be so calm at a time like this?

Actually, they’ve been there, many times. They’ve seen it, experienced it, & know the truth, right? And you know what else they had going for them, that too many my generation are now lacking? I believe God just revealed it to me while I was on my walk after gym this morning. One key is scriptural fluency. Max Lucado read I & II Peter to me on my phone while I trudged the perimeter. I may listen again tomorrow morning. This post is only feeble words! GO for the GOLD, the Holy inspired words from God Almighty. I & II Peter is where it’s at to prepare us for what’s coming!!!

NEXT UP: BOTTOM LINE: For Building His Natural & Acquired Immunity For Kingdom Service…

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Have We Been Set-Up?

Several weeks ago a friend sent me this nearly 4000 word conversational spiritual teaching that intrigues me greatly, but I’ve not done well at all editing & condensing it, as it’s still 2100 words long. Since it arrived without a title, I’m calling it “Immunity For Effective Kingdom Service.”

The next 3 posts are titled 1.) Have We Been Set UP?; 2.) This World is Our Process to Spiritual Maturity; & 3.) Building His Natural & Acquired Immunity

IMAGINE THIS:

One Christmas, a child is told that a week of their summer vacation will be spent at Disney World. Understandably, that child is going to live their life like they’re going to Disney World!  They’re going be telling everyone in school. “I’m reading up on Mickey Mouse because you know I’m going there this summer.” So, about every other day, they’re gonna tell somebody something about Disney World. This future trip will dominate all aspects of their daily living. Why? Because they believe that they are going there this summer. They will adjust all aspects of their life accordingly. That’s what promised expectations can do.

Now, just guess what happens when summer comes and they ask, “When are we going to Disney World,” and they are told, “Well, you’re going to Disneyland, not to Disney World.” Even the child knows the difference and his tantrums will not be pretty, right? That child will have wasted a lot of time but more importantly, that child is going to be upset, emotionally fractured, possibly, even crushed, and understandably so!

The same thing can & does happens with Christians. So, just let me go ahead and say it, if you’re a Christian, and you have a belief that while you’re in this world, slowly but surely, it’s supposed to become a paradise; or, perhaps you think you’ll magically be removed before it does get bad, you’ve been snookered! Some Christians even possess an “entitlement mindset,” for whatever reason; thinking that by checking the boxes, doing good works, and such, that for every day they face this encroaching darkness personally, they’re too going to be upset, because they were thinking at some point they’d would be absolutely 100 percent shielded from everything; opposition, trials, tribulations, no trouble, no anything painful!

Of course, we’ve never been tempted to view our Christian journey that way! Wrong! So, what do we do when the shielding never arrives and the darkness pervades our very existence and we feel as though we’ve been lied to as the child counting the days until their Disney World vacation. If & when that happens to you, you’d be upset too, just as the people right now, be they in or out of church, because they believed if they had a relationship with a local church or God, their troubles would go away or they’d be exempt. That’s what they believed, or better stated, mentally asserted, but it was in error.

 In addition, too many persons have the expectation somehow that the devil will not oppose them, that they’re not supposed to have trials and tribulations. The Bible says; “Don’t think it’s strange when you have fiery trials…” So, when your life falls apart, you get depressed, may even lash out.

However, consider if in fact, a person expected to have these trials & tribulations? Then they’d likely not get upset, nor be depressed, would they? If you knew from the Get-Go, you were going to be opposed, you’d not likely get angry, for the Bible is clear that we can expect such. So, possessing that perspective, when we break through that first barrier and realize my earthy paradise expectations were wrong, I immediately correct them scripturally, and re-focus.

The second problem can occur when our interpretations of those expectations are wrong, because many people believe that if they’re not blessed right now the way they think they should be blessed, that somehow God is angry at them! So, they interpret their current conditions as proof of the level of their relationship they have with the Lord. And that’s also incorrect.

NEXT UP:

Part 2 This world is not your paradise. It never was, and it’s not supposed to be. This World Is Our “PROCESS!” to Spiritual Maturity… BOOTS ON THE GROUND VARIETY!

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“HIS-Just-In-Time-Publishing” Gives You Today’s SPIRITUAL ENCOURAGEMENT & CULTURAL INSIGHTS

From Wendell Martin’s GO NOW Ch 22 “The First Bible Courier Trip.”

The good news about the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world so that all nations will hear it and the then the end will come. Matthew 24:14 (NLT)

Last evening the future blog post pantry was bare. I did not despair. This morning after our intense separate hour walk (currently, l can’t begin to keep up with Loretta’s & Angel’s pace), so after listening to the book of James and prayer, when I returned home, I read these words to Loretta from Go Now. I was compelled to share. Enjoy. And DO COUNT Your Blessings! merlin

“One of the most outstanding things about Hong Kong is how crowded it is. It was almost impossible to escape the multitudes of people once stepping outside our tiny apartment. The border area that links Hong Kong and China is no exception. Over 250,000 people process through immigration customs every day as they walk the short distance from the train terminals to cross between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China.

In December 1978, just a little over two years after the death of Maul Zedong, the founder of China’s Communist Party, his successor Deng Xiaoping, had announced a new open-door policy paving the way for foreign businesses to once again do business in China. For 30 years, China’s government had imposed self-isolation from the rest of the world as Mao Zedong had elevated himself to the status of a god. He wielded his power to create a new socialist China using radical and merciless tactics that left the nation in ruin, at the terrible cost of an estimated 60 to 80 million Chinese lives.

Many things that happened under Mao Zedong’s control were disastrous for the people of China; however, there were some good things too. One of the great accomplishments under his regime was a new form of writing called the “simplified script.” With this, Chairman Mao was able to educate a mostly illiterate nation how to read.

With a literate nation, Mao Zedong was able to unify, indoctrinate, and control the population through propaganda and his famous Little Red Book, which was full of quotations from his speeches and writings. It became almost mandatory for every Chinese citizen to own, read, and carry the book so they could easily refer to it for guidance and inspiration. Tens of millions of copies were published. Failures produce a copy when requested would result in punishment which varied from verbal harassment and beatings to a prison sentence. At the same time, classic literature and modern works were destroyed so the Chinese citizens could only read the Little Red Book. In spite of the horrific aftermath of Chairman Mao’s policies, the nation still exalted and worshiped him some out of blind loyalty and others out of sheer terror.

With very little approved literature available. it is easy to understand that China developed a deep hunger for anything in writing. This included the Bible! With a spiritual vacuum and a hunger for the written word, God’s Word was eagerly sought after by a nation disillusioned by empty government promises and heavy-handed control.

In those early days, every Bible brought into China was a treasure that purportedly resulted in at least 100 people coming to faith in Jesus. The Chinese told us once that they had a Bible, it was passed from one hungry person to another without ever being put down. Its treasured pages were hand-copied and large portions were committed to memory. God’s word was like gasoline poured on a smoldering fire. The move of God in China exploded as thousands upon thousands of people found new life hope and purpose and salvation through Jesus. They found freedom from the grip of sin and the spiritual vacuum left in the wake of communist ideology.

As China began opening to the rest of the world, Christian tourists visiting China began crossing the borders in the China carrying Bibles hidden in their luggage. Although Bibles carried into China from outside were not specifically listed as contraband, it was illegal for Chinese citizens to receive a Bible from outside China.

While many of these Bibles were confiscated at the border, some were allowed to slip through. China had a delicate dance to perform on the world stage on which they now found themselves. On the one hand, they did not want to be seen by the international community as being totally intolerant of Christianity. Doing so could impede the inflow of Western wealth that China so desperately needed. On the other hand, they also needed to maintain thought control and squelch the unsettling move of God sweeping across China. Jesus was drawing millions of people into a unified grassroots movement. This posed a serious threat to a system of government that could not fully function with people answering to a higher power than their government leaders.

While the Chinese custom officials made every effort to control the number of Bibles coming over their border, the reality was that God was working on the behalf of his people. Over the years as China opened to the West, millions of Bibles were carefully carried into China by couriers making two and three trips across the border every day with their precious cargo.

NEXT UP: Not Yet Revealed. No Rush. His Timing!

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ROAD TRIP

Welcome to 2MinuteMark, a weekly email with one agenda – inspiration from God’s Word

The photos promised peace—

A place away from the busyness of life.

The busyness of a mom with three toddlers,

Demanding attention, diaper changes, and breakfast.

The busyness of a father,

Diligent at work, needed at home,

Even there, work calls pierced the walls of his castle.

They knew they needed a vacation.

Their friends knew it too.

And a friend of a friend had a solution:

A cabin in the mountains.

Rest and relaxation awaited.

But it required travel—

Cross-country travel.

Reality should’ve whispered,

“You’ll need a vacation when you return.”

The phrase “Road Trip,” like the cabin photos,

Promised excitement, family bonding,

A future free from the mess of daily grind.

But the trip was an endurance run,

A marathon of discomfort,

Overwritten by the promise of the finish line.

Finally, they arrived.

And instantly realized—

The photos were from a much distant past.

Weeds as tall as window sills,

Two broken windows,

A gopher hole by the front porch,

Punctured their vacation dreams.

The distance between expectation and reality

Is the story of history.

Our vision of the perfect getaway

Is really a longing to return to Eden—

The difference between a God-designed world

And one of our own making.

We fight to survive the ravages of sin—

Sin and its final payment: death.

But we have an option.

A forward Eden.

It’s called Eternal Life.

Our first thought of eternal life,

Is of its duration; it’s forever.

But its reward is a transformative quality of life.

And it starts right now!

It’s a life where, on earth, sin exists,

But doesn’t control us.

Where God, through the Holy Spirit,

Shapes our thoughts, our environment,

And seals our destiny.

Our best-laid plans are often

Momentary visions of comfort and achievement—

Trophies our children will one day toss in the trash.

A life without an eternal viewpoint

Is a life of weeds and broken windows.

Yes, there are mini-victories.

But it’s always a struggle.

Eternal-life living is so much more.

“In their hearts humans plan their course,

But the Lord establishes their steps.” — Proverbs 16:9

Eternal life begins when we choose God’s plan

Rather than our own.

As for my friend—

Another friend of a friend rescued their trip.

A house near the beach.

A memory-maker.

In a world ravaged by sin,

We’re never alone.

God orders our steps.

And often He sends friends

To help us find the way.

–Mark Coblentz

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Remember the Exhilaration Of God’s Assurance After a “deep dive?

Again, if you missed Mon & Tues, read those posts first, before this conclusion.

“Wendell, if you’re going to Hong Kong, go now!” said the gentle voice loud and as clear as it was right next to me.

My eyes flew open, and I jumped up.

A wave of adrenaline rushed through my body as I quickly realized that nobody was there. I ran out of the barn.

“Hey, Wes, where are you? What do you want?” I quickly ran all the way around the barn, calling out, “Who’s there? Where are you?

After several minutes of searching both inside and outside of the barn, I knew the answer, though I had known it all along. No human had been there. God had clearly given me the next step that I had been praying and fasting for. The direction was so loud and clear that there was no way I could disavow it. Only God could have known what I was praying and fasting for. Not even Daisy knew.

I collapsed to the floor where I had been sitting just a few minutes earlier, trembling, and terrified as the realization of what had just happened settled into my mind. “If you’re going to Hong Kong, go now,” I had been clearly directed. “If you are going …” made it my choice. “To Hong Kong …” was the destination. “Go now …” gave me the time frame. Everything I’ve been asking God for had come in that simple life changing sentence.

God, in a moment, had set before me a new path for my life, a path I’d assumed He had been preparing for a long, long time. Now, the choice was mine to make: stay the course I had been on for the past few years or risk an adventure with Jesus on a narrow, uncharted path that seemed fraught with all kinds of imagined and un-imagined peril.

As I leaned back against that barn pole, my pounding heart immediately responded to God’s challenge with a huge enthusiastic yes! But, just as emphatically, though, my mind screamed out “No, no, no, no! Don’t do this! Think it through first. Be reasonable. Consider your career. Look at this beautiful car you just you still need to finish waxing. Think about all the bills that need paying. Think about the baby that is due in 6 months. It was the same old arguments that had kept me awake night after night after night. It was that bothersome old giant of compromise trying to make a last-ditch, desperate grab to hold on to his territory.

It was time! This battle was on for real! The giant was going to go down, now or never! I put the lid back on that can of wax and threw it into the trunk of the car. I’ll find out for sure if I’m ready to go really to go in this new direction. I’ll see what Daisy says when I tell her how God is guiding us! With that, I left the barn and the half-finished wax job and walked back to our new unfinished house that I had been investing so much time, energy, and money in. I found Daisy standing at the stove stirring a pot of vegetable soup as I stepped into the kitchen.

“OK, God,” I prayed silently, “if Daisy agrees with this insanity, then, for sure, this must be You directing our lives.”

“Daisy,” I said softly, my insides feeling like Jelly, “I’ve just received some very clear direction from God.”

Daisy stopped stirring the soup, and without turning away from her project, replied, “Oh and what did you hear?”

“What I heard was. ‘If we’re going to go to Hong Kong, we are to go now,”’ I said without any expression of emotion or further explanation.

“And how soon do we actually leave?” Daisy asked as she slowly turned to face me.

I hadn’t prepared to answer that question yet. However, without giving a second thought and knowing I had to give one month advance notification at the college if I would leave my teaching position, I replied, “We leave in one month. I’ll turn in my resignation tomorrow!”

“Wendell, are you sure this is of God?” Daisy asked.

I told her what had transpired over the past months and in the barn a few minutes earlier.

“OK,” she simply said in affirmation and, with that, turned back to give her full attention to the vegetable soup.

I stared at the small bulge beginning to show on her stomach and had to wonder again at my sanity. “OK, God we’re in this for real! I’m really, really scared, but I don’t want to miss what You have for us. Please help us to see through this to the end-whenever, wherever, however that is!”

NEXT UP: We’ll see!

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How Often Have We Been On A Similar Street?

This is the second of a three Part Post. If you missed Monday’s, I suggest you read that first.

It was Sunday afternoon, the third day of a total, water only fast. Waves of pains made my stomach growl loudly. I was miserable and desperate for God to show up so I could eat. In the back of my mind lurked the possibility that God would stay silent, as he usually seemed to do when I fasted, and I would soon be giving up this irrational endeavor in exchange for the pizza I was craving.

I smeared a dab of wax on my brand-new car, hoping to distract myself from the unrelenting hunger. It was a beautiful machine and it seemed like such a wise purchase the day I signed my name on the bank loan contract. Today, I resented the car for the freedom it was costing me! I sat on the dusty cement floor of the barn where the car was parked and furiously rubbed away the dried-wax residue to reveal a flawless shiny paint that was so beautiful, silky smooth, and brand new. I hated that I liked it so much!

I sat back to admire my work and ponder the dilemma of my life. “God, what am I supposed to do?” I complained.

For years following my mission trip to the Philippines, the idea of going to Africa as a missionary had shadowed my life. Today the reality of that dream seemed a million miles out of reach.

Ever been here? Up this creek without a paddle?

“God, I know you require faith and faith requires some kind of action, but what do You want from me? Do You want me to just pack up my family, go stand in a line at the airport, and wait for the tickets to somehow magically show up? I know you can make that kind of thing happen, and I’m willing to give it a try if You want. I just want what You want. I’m willing to do anything you require anything You require. Anything!”

I had nothing more to offer God: no ideas, no strategies, and no expectations. I just wanted to surrender to whatever He wanted for my life.

“I meant this from the bottom of my heart. No strings attached!” I said in a moment a full surrender that brought tears to my eyes.

As the words rushed out of my mouth, I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an extremely high cliff, and what I had said to God had somehow initiated a leap off the edge of that cliff into the unknown. It was a gut-wrenching, all-or-nothing surrender to an invisible and unpredictable God. I was in free-fall away from my desires, my opinions, and all the things I understood and assumed to be right about God- completely.

By now, tears were running down my cheeks and my heart It was aching as I realized at that moment, nothing in life mattered anymore. Nothing! I gave up! My life was no longer my own, and I was falling into a bottomless void. There was no turning back. My only hope was that God would eventually catch me. I can’t explain how this all works except it seemed in that moment that there came a synchronization of hearts, when my “want to” finally lined up with God’s “want to.” He wanted to prove to me that I could indeed trust Him.

It took only a heartbeat of time to cross the point of no return, a point of total surrender to the sovereignty of God’s love, power, and authority, over my life. In that heartbeat, something incredibly happened. It was frightening, and exhilarating at the same time, like the moment of conception when something that is not comes to life. It is the moment in the famous Michelangelo painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, where God’s outstretched finger touches man’s outstretched finger. It is in that moment faith becomes sight.

Something had just happened! I didn’t understand, but as I plunged from everything I valued and based my life on in on into the uncertainty of God’s will for my life, I found the peace and the joy I had been searching for. I leaned back against an old hand-hewn barn pole closed my tear-filled eyes, and for the next few minutes, simply basked in the amazing miracle of God’s presence.

“Wendell,” I heard someone call my name, jarring me from out of my reverie. I thought it might be where Wes Smith who lived next door to the old barn.

“Yeah,” I called out without opening my eyes, annoyed at the disruption.

To Be Concluded Tomorrow.

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WHEN GOD LEADS…

Stimulated by Wendell Martins book GO NOW: From the Innermost Parts of the Heart To the Uttermost Parts of the World

No question, Loretta & I certainly struggled with transitioning to Panama. Coming here was quite contrary to everything we’d worked for since remodeling our home in ’93, that being the first step in a three decade plan of acquisition for a family compound with two lots and two homes for three sons. In hindsight, no doubt it was rather preposterous selfish thinking on our part, that our offspringwould ever settle there!

After our son Ben and wife Jill retired to Panama, they spoke of the countries advantages for our health and well-being encouraging us to join them and to try it for several winters. And now since we’re here with a 2-year lease, Loretta & I realize now how much we did, and really are, still “winging it” while on this latest adventure.

Therefore, as I also recall accounts told me by other persons & couples of their encountered struggles seeking God’s guidance, and then read of Wendell’s continuing struggle of serving God while being taunted with slaying the giant of COMPROMISE, I’m compelled to share with you his words how God intervened for him. He said on page 137,

“there was no logical way I could ever escape the powerful grip COMPROMISE held on my life in order to align myself with the unknown destiny God was inviting me into. I had debts that had to be paid. This meant, I needed to stay within systems of employment. There was the new house, the new car, my career, my wife, and our baby, and we’d just found out Daisy was pregnant again! Everything seemed so completely tangled up! Thinking just made my tired head hurt.”

Early one morning after a sleepless night, a long-forgotten Bible verse, came to me, “Without faith, you can’t please God.” In frustration, I turned my attention from my tangled mess of thoughts to explore this simple dancing truth through my mind. As I did, words began to form that seemed to come from God, “Wendell, I’ve brought you to this place. You did not arrive here by accident. You know, I’ve always been with you, even though you didn’t always feel it. Now, if you’re ready, I have a very important lesson for you to learn.”

This moment reminded me of another time God had come to visit me. Again, it was intimate and real! Full of hope and anticipation, I eagerly responded, “Yes, I’m ready.” After which I heard, “You can only take down this giant by faith: faith in me and faith in my love for you and my good intentions for your life. So let me handle this for you. It is too big for you. Are you willing to take this dare?”

Truth came into my heart and mind like a healing balm. Here was the answer. Trust God! He had a plan, and I simply needed to honor Him by trusting Him, no questions asked. I remembered the warts at age ten and the miracles later in the Philippine jungles. Why had I forgotten those valuable lessons? Simply trust God and wait for Him to reveal my next move. Then do whatever He tells me, no matter how illogical it might seem from a rational perspective, like David, who stepped onto a battlefield, vulnerable, no protective armor, to face the giant Goliath, with an empty slingshot and a heart full of faith that God Himself was right there with Him. At that moment, I relaxed in surrender to His love. It was a deliberate choice. Yes, He loves me.

Before drifting off to sleep that night, God had already given me the idea for the next step. I would fast as an act of faith. No food until God shows me the step! This seemed an unreasonable way to enter into a fight, and better judgement immediately mocked the idea.

“Do you really think God will respond because you are voluntarily going hungry? Are you trying to force His hand? Silly boy!” Logic taunted.

I countered, “I’m already spiritually starving. I’ve felt for a long time like I’m dying. At least by fasting, maybe I’ll find out how serious I really am about confronting this giant of COMPROMISE. Maybe I’ll discover how strong a grip he has on me.

To Be Continued.

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