Christmas 2018: So Much to Reflect on and Celebrate

Christmas, 2017 was a dark time for me.

I had no stable job, no stable income. Relying on donations to fund my independent journalism and activism had hit a dry spell, to say it mildly.

On top of that, I had no car. I was facing criminal charges for sitting in a city council meeting. On top of that, I was suing the same city which had had me arrested without justification.

Then add to all of this, I had no idea what my future was supposed to be, and where was I supposed to be going. There was such a sense of loss, of darkness, of oblivion.

"Where are you, God? What is going on?" I was asking myself.

Thankfully, I had the time and my father was more than happy to bring me up to Oregon for Christmas that year.

"Just take it easy, Arthur. This is your time to rest," he told me.

And rest I did.

It seemed that I slept a great deal during this time. Depression, a sense of deep loss had overtaken me.

Then one of my friends in California called me to wish a Merry Christmas. That really brightened me up, helping me to focus outside of the immediate hardships in which I had found myself. The rest of my time in Oregon, I got back into writing and researching, preparing for the new year, a heavy election year coming our way in the United States.

Starting in January 2018, within days of my return home, people began donating money. I found other ways to get funding little by little, and I resorted to looking for other work in the meantime. I was ready to go back to the grocery store, to go back to tutoring, whatever it took.

I had been laid off in 2017 from the marketing firm, and after going through all of my savings without being able to find work, I resorted to what I had paid into unemployment insurance. I receive no shame for doing so, since I had paid in and was drawing out what was prepared for me.

July, 2018 was the tipping point. I was at my end point. I needed a clear line of employment that would help me get through life and its demands. I was still looking for a car, and it just seemed pretty dark and hopeless.

I have written about this before, and I share it again: the first week of July, I got so angry at God, and I shouted: "What good is being righteousness if I can't pay the rent?!"

I felt so bad, so distraught. When I was working at the marketing firm, starting in December 2015 (right around Christmas time, in fact!), I had finally arrived in so many ways. I was doing a job that was perfect for me. Reading, researching, writing, and coordinating political events for my employer, I was in my element.  I thought I had "arrived" at that point. I would never have to worry about money again. I would never have to borrow money off my credit card. I would never have to file for unemployment ever again.

Things did not seem so bad, and that they would never end up as dire straits.

When I was laid off in March, 2017, I was not sure what would happen next. Working as a freelance writer and activist worked for me just fine. Of course, from getting arrested in June 2017 to the end of the year in Christmas, my fortunes struggled considerably. Yes, I had traveled to Washington DC due to generous contributions from supporters around the country--and the world! Indeed, I was able to accomplish so much in spite of the lack of a stable job.

Then my Buick Century died off in October 2017, just as I was getting geared up for the California Republican Party Convention in Anaheim, just as I was witnessing the downfall of traitor RINOs in leadership who had sold out the state party and every taxpayer.

In spite of piecemeal victories, there I was stuck without my own vehicle. I had to rent cars for periods of time, whether driving to events or going to court, or taking care of other needs and concerns. I had no stable income.Happily, in spite of all those setbacks, from October 2017 to July 2018, other people were ready to rush in and assist me. Thank you, Jesus, for such grateful, gracious friends!

Yet back to July 2018, nearly a year later, I was yelling at God: "What good is your righteousness if I cannot pay the rent?!"

Within a day of reflecting what I had said, I recalled all those times in my life beforehand, when I had plenty of money, when I was able to pay the rent and take care of other needs. At the same time, I remember the unspeakable guilt, fear, and shame which had overcome me. A sense of dread, of condemnation was inescapable for me in those days.

I then realized directly what Jesus had been talking about during His earthly ministry:

"26 For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)

Then I repented--changed my mind, my attitude--and I realized that no matter what may happen to me, I need to prize the gift of righteousness which I have today because of Christ Jesus. Instead of looking at what I don't have, I meditated and praised God that I would never be punished again for my sins: past, present, and future:

"For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee." (Isaiah 54:9)

And also:

"1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:1-2)

Sunday at Calvary Chapel South Bay, I received such a profound peace from this revelation. "I am righteous! I have been made the righteounsess of God in Christ Jesus! I don't care what happens to me tomorrow, because I am righteousness. I will never be slammed, punished, rebuked, destroyed for my sins, whether yesterday, today, or any other time ever!"

The next day ...

1. MassResistance hired me to serve as their Organization Director
2. A friend of mine offered me a car

Both problems were rolled up just like that!

Thank you Jesus!

Not only that, but I was able to pay back my father for his help which he had offered me earlier this year. My fortunes reversed so quickly from the first week of July to the present day. It's just a full-on testimony to the Grace of God!

Since July, I have visited the following places for work:

1. Sacramento, Dixon area
2. New York City (CNN Panel Interview)
3. Austin, Texas
4. Phoenix, Arizona (I also went to Pheonix in March earlier this year)
5. New Mexico
6. Central Coast, South Bay (San Francisco)
7. Oregon

And more journeys are coming, too!

I just received a new passport. Finally, I took care of that goal.

As the Organization Director for MassResistance, I have worked with an incredible number of activists all over the country--all over the world!--to fight the pro-family fight. So many people have contacted me that I have found my subject matter, my conservative element: fighting for life and family and against the LGBT Hate Machine.

This fight needs to be fought, and the patriots I have worked with in California have joined me forcefully to fight against this bigotry. In four months, we have had an incredible number of victories, and in the bluest states in the country, too.

Yes, I was convicted of two counts of ... not following a police officer's order? Two police officers? I didn't even receive an order from one of them. A kangaroo guided by a lazy judge who was more interested in just getting the trial over with rather than permitting evidence to be introduce that would exonerate me. Add to that the fact that my attorney needed twenty more minutes to look over videos that he had introduced. Then there were the lies stated by the Deputy DA, and add to that the fact that it seemed to me that the jury was more interested in getting out of a trial early.

Where does it stop? I am so grateful to have the support for people all over the country on my behalf.

The next week, I received a rigorous training in righteousness, His righteousness, just as I had meditated on in early July. So many people expressed a lot of fear about the probation imposed on me. I found that very frustrating. They don't seem to know who my Father is--or they don't believe on Him. I had to rebuke so many people about their casting their cares on me.

Then I returned to Isaiah 54 once again for more grace and strength:

"In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54:14)

How do we break free of fear, of oppression, especially from the state? We get ESTABLISHED in His righteousness. We don't just think about it, we don't just assent to it--we get fully fixed in it, and recognize that no matter what happens outside of us, whether it's our fault or not.

Righteousness is a gift (Romans 5:17), and we are established in HIS righteousness (Isaiah 54:17). No weapon will prosper against us, and those weapons include unjust verdicts as well as the shame and calumny of an evil horde attempting to shame or degrade us. One pastor refreshed everyone's member about Isaiah 54:17:

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 54:17)

Many believers tend to skip past the "no weapon part". There is a promise that comes with God's gift of righteousness to us: "Every tongue that rises in judgment against thee thou shalt condemn".

It's more than "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." We will denounce publicly, condemn those who shame us." Yes! We will have the last word, we will be able to "punch back twice as hard" as Ben Shapiro had remarked to Piers Morgan in 2012.

That has happened many times in my life! In fact, two days before flying up to Oregon, two enemies tried to come together against me, and they were both put to shame publicly!!

And now here I am enjoying Christmas with many friends and family here in Oregon. It's cold, but I am neither depressed nor tired. There is so much winning that has taken place this year, even with the hardships and difficulties, even with the hurts and near-misses, even with the attacks, smears, and outright hatred of others.

This has been a wonderful year, and this has been the best--BEST--Christmas yet.

Stay tuned for more!

I Want to See More of Jesus (Without the Trials)

"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." (Matthew 6:13)

I was thinking about this verse and some of the trials which I have faced in the last few months. "Lord, I want to gain a greater revelation of who you are and everything that you are doing--and have done in my life. I would like to gain this greater revelation without all the hardships."

Sometimes, I wonder if I could "Fast Track" my revelation of Jesus, by which His grace superabounds all the more in our lives:

"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord," (2 Peter 1:2)

Indeed, we can, apparently, pray that we not enter into trials and testings, and if we find ourselves facing some tough trials, we can still reach out and receive more of God's grace to get through it all.

Another line of revelation comes through as I write this.

God did indeed test Abraham, to show to the world and to him--to Abraham--that he had indeed become the father of faith:

"1And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am." (Genesis 22:1)

God would test Abraham, which means not "tempt to sin", but rather "prove as genuine".

Abraham demonstrated his faith in God clearly, since he was prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac on the altar, and he also believed firmly that God would bring his son back from the dead:

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

In a very clear sense, Abraham's son Isaac was as good as dead. Abraham was resigned to losing his son through sacrifice, and yet also knowing that God would resurrect him.

Abraham was spared the actually pain of completing the sacrifice on his son:

"11And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen." (Genesis 22:11-14)

Notice that in Genesis 22:1, "Elohim", God's name as Creator, calls on Abraham to sacrifice his son.

In Genesis 22:11, it's "The Angel of the LORD", i.e. Jesus who calls on Abraham to hold off from sacrificing his son.

Yes, I want to see more of Jesus without the trials, but sometimes it's the trials which allow us to see more of Him. We need to recognize that no matter how bad things may get in our lives, we do not have to wonder if He will take care of us or not.

Then again, there are other instances of trials, where even when Jesus saves people, they still don't understand who He is:

"37And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:37-41)

Jesus allayed the storm with one word.

The disciples among the many ships on the water ended up feeling "exceedingly." One would think that after Jesus' stilling the storm, they would have rejoiced with great peace and thanksgiving. They faced this trial, they cried out to their "Master" (Not Savior) for help, and he overanswered their prayer.

And yet still they were afraid.

Indeed, I want to see more of Jesus, but without the trials. I want to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord, and I want His Word to serve as the best--and ultimately only--training ground.

"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17)

and then

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (lit. Christ)." (Romans 10:17)

The more that we see Him, the more that we know who He is, the more that enjoy His beauty, the more that His grace abounds in our lives.

I believe that we can see more of Jesus, that more of His grace can move and thrive within us and throughout our circumstances. And we can enjoy all He has for us without some of the trials that we face.

The Holy Spirit is Guiding Us, Even When It Seems Like a Set-Up

I announced to the public earlier this month that in October, 2018 I was convicted by a jury of two counts of PC 148(a)1, which speaks of a failure to follow the lawful order of a police officer, or to delay him from lawful duties.

For the next few weeks, I revisited the evening when I refused to comply with the unlawful order of the police officer in that city council meeting. I started wondering after the jury rendered its verdict: "Have I missed something? Did I make a mistake?"

Of course, throughout the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, God's people face unjust trials and convictions many times.

Yet the LORD leads all of them out of those dark times into greater light, glory, freedom, and blessing--not just for themselves, either, but for others, too.

With all of this in mind, I found this passage in Genesis 37:

12And his [Joseph] brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. 13And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. 14And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

Here, we have a perfect picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, sent by his Father to visit His Brethren, the Jewish people.

"He came unto his own, and his own received him not." (John 1:11)

Now here's the part which stands out about the Holy Spirit:

15And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? 

This "Certain man" is not named, just like the servant who found a bride for Isaac (Genesis 24), and just like the servant who attended to Joseph's commands when he stood in Pharoah's stead (Genesis 40)

16And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. 17And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

Throughout the Old Testament, any reference to an unnamed servant is a type of the Holy Spirit. He helps the types who represent Jesus, and as an unnamed servant, he does not draw attention to himself:

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16:13)

So, here we have an unnamed person telling Joseph to find his brothers in a clear location.

This man guided Joseph to his bitter, envious brothers, who sold him into slavery, then lied to their father to make him believe that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.

It would seem that the Holy Spirit, or in the case of the above account the unnamed man, lead Joseph into a trap.

In truth, we all know that this guidance, this direction led to Joseph's massive promotion and glory.

When Joseph later revealed himself to his brothers in Egypt, he comforted them:

"Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." (Genesis 45:5)

and also

"And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance." (Genesis 45:7)

Even when the brothers once again attempt to deceive Joseph, fearing that he would turn on them after their father Jacob died, Joseph would say to them:

"19And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them." (Genesis 50:19-21)

When the outcomes seem dire or doomed, and yet you were guided by the Holy Spirit and His peace (Colossians 3:15), just bear in mind that the Holy Spirit is indeed setting you up--setting you up to succeed!

Righteousness is Where We Are, Regardless of The Attacks

I was meditating on this revelation today.

For the longest time, I would work so hard to ignore or undo bad thoughts, bad feelings, bad memories.

If I remembered something that made me mad, angry, or I felt upset that some event or circumstances transpired a way that I wish had not happened, I would feel so bad that I was remembering that sentiment again.

Then I learned about what it means to be established in righteousness. This status we have in Christ Jesus cannot be asailed, no matter what happens to us, what happens around us.

"In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54:14)

We are established in His righteousness (Isaiah 54:17)

In fact, we are made the righteousness of God in Christ!

IN HIM!

That's where we are today, and all the blessings that come upon the righteous, come upon us because of Jesus.

I started to realize more and more that it didn't matter what I was feeling, what I was thinking, where I was going, or what was happening to me.

I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21).

That's where I am, and that's where I shall rest and remain blessed, no matter what happens to me.

With that, I both know and believe that I am defended, protected, prepared to be overcome, no matter what attacks may come my way!

I Need God's Favor Even Where I am Familiar

This Monday, I returned from an extended weekend stay in Arizona.

It's a great place, not as desert-y as I had feared.

It's really nice!

There is a great deal of desert, sure, but I saw so many homes with their own set of greenery. Phoenix, Arizona is a huge city. It takes 30 minutes on a major freeway to get from one of the city to another city.

And that's if there is no traffic to contend with!

I noticed that I meditated on God's Word a great deal. It seemed like every moment of the day, I was chewing, muttering, marinating in one or many sets of Scriptures.

It was a very fulfilling time that I shared with friends and fellow patriots there in the Phoenix area.

Then I came home, and I realized something:

What is preventing me from meditating at length here in my own home town, my own city? What has been holding me back from thinking that I do not need to ask for God's favor here in the place where I live, where I have called home for the last three decades?

For a long time, when by myself or walking about boldly yet singly in public, I would think out loud, let my mind wander and wonder onto so many topics.

I never really got settled. It was so easy to get upset about past slights or future fears. After five days of staying at someone else's home in another state, after the habit of repeating and meditating on God's Word in different passages, I found that my mind was clearer, and opportunities began to appear in great number.

I can ask for God's favor and receive His grace for every day. Why was I not doing that when back at home in the South Bay?

Just because I know the South Bay, just because I have lived in Torrance for the greater part of my life, that does not mean that I do not need God's grace, His favor for facing different challenges and issues from day to day, or from hour to hour.

I need His grace, I desire His favor wherever I go, whatever I do.

The five day excursion in Arizona really opened my mind, my heart to seeing more of Jesus and receiving more of his abundant gifts of righteousness and grace (Romans 5:17).

I want my loving Daddy God to surprise me every day. For the last four days back home, I have found myself really appreciating everything that I have lived in, that I have enjoyed for this great length of time.

What can I say? I need God's favor even in places with which I have been so familiar all of these years. Yes, I may know that so many things close to me are relatively the same, but who knows what may happen upon me when I trust His favor?

I want to get into the habit now more than ever, just as Ruth did when she joined with Israel:

"And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter." (Ruth 2:2)

Ruth landed in the perfect field:

"And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech." (Ruth 2:3)

She trusted in God's favor. She believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the same God who sent His Son to die on the Cross for us, to grant us His rightoeusness, His life, and His standing.

In the same way that Ruth trusted God's favor and found herself not just by chance, but by "her hap", in not just a good field, but the field belonging to her Kinsman-Redeemer.

Let's not hold back God from blessing us beyond what we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). Let's ask God to continue to show us through His Son how much He loves us! (Ephesians 3: 17-19).

Established in Righteousness: What Does That Mean?

What does it mean to be established in righteousness?

It means that righteousness, our righteous standing, is a fixed truth, something that is part of who we are.

Righteousness defines who we are, and it is not something that can be taken away by any circumstance or feeling. This status of being righteous, being righteousness, before God the Father in Christ Jesus.

One preacher shared:

"Jesus did not just take our sin. He became sin."

Why is that distinction so important? If someone takes something from you, they can give it back to you at some other time. If someone becomes something that belongs to you, that object, that "thing" if you will can never be returned to you.

How about that?

Consider what Paul the Apostle wrote to the Corinthians in his Second Epistle:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus became sin, and He bore our sins in His body (1 Peter 2:24).

We became the righteousness of God in Him!

We become, we are made a new creature in Christ Jesus! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

For a long time, I meditated on righteousness as something that is outside of me, i.e. something that I receive and keep receiving, certainly, but something that as a status comes from outside to within me. (Romans 5:17).

However, Isaiah prophesies "In righteousness you shall be established."

If the only way that righteousness enters us is through receiving and receiving again, then we are not established in it.

But we are established in His righteousness today, because Jesus accomplished the Great Exchange at the Cross.

This righteousness, and all the blessings attached to it, having nothing to do with our circumstances or other outcomes around us.

Our standing before God in Christ Jesus has nothing to do with us at all!

Righteousness is a gift:

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)

It's a gift, and we need to be conscious of this incredible gift, that we keep on receiving it, even when we fail, when we fall, when we flip out or fess up to wrongdoing of any kind.

This Gift of Righteousness defines who we are in Christ Jesus!

"[H]e that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." (1 John 3:7)

To do righteousness, within the context of this passage, is to seek the Blood of Jesus to establish us from all sin and in His righteousness, i.e. to believe on Him!

Then what follows:

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17)

Christ Jesus is made our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30)

For a long time, however, I was not fully established in this. I was still worried that I would be punished for my sins in some fashion--In that regard, I was not established in His righteousness.

There were tough times, when it seemed that nothing was going right, and I would yell at God, wondering why He wasn't doing anything -- at least, so it seemed. I was not established in righteousness then because I was still evaluating my position based on my circumstances.

"How could I be in this difficulty now? I thought I was passed this!"

When I realized that all of my sins have been forgiven, put away, and that no matter what is happening at that moment, I am still righteous before God, everything in my life just changed without any trouble.

This status of being the righteousness of God in Christ had been in place with me ever since I believed in Jesus and made him Lord and Savior of my life, because He became my life. Gosh, there is so much about our inheritance through Christ Jesus that we have to learn.

There is so much that I had to unlearn, too.

I was the righteousness of God in Christ when I was working at the grocery store. I was the rightoeusness of God in Christ when I was a teacher in different classrooms all over Los Angeles County.

I was the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus when I was 13 years old and claimed Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Even then, as a young boy almost out of Seventh Grade.

I was the rightoeusness of God in Christ Jesus when my mother left me at the Torrance airport.

I was the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, with perfect standing and honor before my Daddy God when I was arrested in Huntington Park, California ... for no good reason.

I was the righteousness of God in Christ when I failed student teaching the first time.

I have not only been the righteousness of God in Christ, but I have been a long-standing heir of so many promises in Christ Jesus, because ...

"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:17)

And the sufferings?

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

They are a mere nothing.

No matter what the sufferings may be, I am the righteousness of God in Christ.

And THAT is what it means to be established in righteousness! (Isaiah 54:14)

Do You Prize His Righteousness Above All Else?

This is a challenge for me.

I look at my circumstances, and I look at other people's circumstances.  I want to make the best of every situation, and I want to believe that all things are working for my good.

And yet it is so easy for us to look to one side or the other, to think that things are not going our way.

I had written about last year, how I had faced such hardships at one point. I didn't have a stable income, and I didn't have a car. One night, I just shouted at the sky, and I said "God, what good is it that your Son died on the Cross and I can't even pay the rent?!"

That was an honest moment for me. I didn't make nice or play with God. I told Him exactly how I felt.

Then a new revelation rushed into my heart, and yet a reminder of how important it is to rest in the eternal truths we have heard since we believed on Jesus.

What's the point of having all the wealth and opportunities in the world, yet I cannot wipe away a sense of guilt and shame? I remembered the times in the past when I had the job, when I had the car, and there was such misery in my life.

I felt so guilty about things that I had done, that I had said.

Indeed, I realized how good I have it today because I believe that because of Jesus' death on the Cross, I am forgiven of all my sins forever--past, present, and future! My sins are paid for! Jesus' bore my sins on that Tree, and I will never have to feel the punishment, the pain, the reproach of sin ever again!

WOW!

I still remember when I was sitting in church, at Calvary Chapel South Bay. It was the second Sunday of July, and I remember just crying with such joy. "I will never be punished for the sins that I have committed or that I will commit in the future. Jesus bore ALL my sins on the Cross.

This revelation of the Gospel could not be clearer when you read 1 Peter:

"24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

He bore our sins in His body. He did it Himself, so that we did not have to.

That is something to celebrate, and what happened because Jesus did that for us?

"He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53:11)

He bears our sins, and we receive His righteousness!

When I recognized that, I stopped fearing for the future, and I recognized that I have so much going for me just because of Jesus' sacrifice.

The next day--I had the job and the car! I had both needs met in one day!

Thank you Jesus!

Now, I face a new challenge. I see bad people who get away with stuff. I see people breaking the law, and there is no enforcement--or at least, so it seems.

Injustice is prevalent in our world. Should we be surprised? Perhaps it's time for us to stop being outraged because the world does not play fair, even in the criminal justice system.

I don't like it when people get away with wrongdoing against me. Who does like it?

There is an outcome which has occured which I find particularly unfair right now.

This is the second test when it comes to faith.

Do I really believe that God's gift of righteousness makes the difference? Do I really believe that His grace superabounds when sin increases?

Even when I fail, do I have faith that God is love, and loves me. and will bless me.

Then there's this comfort, once again from 1 Peter Chapter 2:

"But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:" (1 Peter 2:20-23)

Today, I prize His righteousness yet again.

To be unjust accused, arrested, incarcerated, convicted, berated, demeaned, defamed cannot hurt us.

We have His righteousness! We reign in His life!

So, the question returns ... Do you prize His righteousness above all else?

My answer is YES!

Do We Really Believe that All Things Work for Good?

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Paul was definite and unwavering about this.

"We know that all things work together for good ..."

Do you really believe that?

The trial of faith is all about taking God at His Word. Do we really believe that He cares for us, in the face of everything

Or don't we?

It all starts with what His Son Jesus did for us.

That is how we know that He is on our side:

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8:31-34)

How do we know that God is on our side? It's all about His Son Jesus and what He did for us at the Cross.

It's not about whether we find that great parking spot or not.

It's not about whether we are justly or unjustly freed from a criminal or civil penalty in court.

It has nothing to do with what may happen tomorrow.

It has everything to do with what Jesus did for us at the Cross.

This was the touchstone for growth for me. I learned that He is taking care of me not because my cirucumstances are going well. We have to appraise, esteem the sacrifice that Jesus became for us:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

There is no value in everything else getting taken care of in our lives if we are still under condemnation. There is no value to wealth and riches if we live in hatred and bitterness.

It's the gift of righteousness which enables us to receive all other gifts.

With this promise in mind, with this affirmation in place, we can know and believe that all things work together for good.

But wait ...

Isn't there a caveat in place? All things work together for those who love God.

We need to work on loving God more, right?

OK, but the source for loving God more comes from our knowing how much He loved us!

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

Jesus--the same yesterday, today, and forever--is our mercy seat forever. Our sins are put away forever.

When we understand this, how can we NOT love Him?

In fact ...

"We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)

There.

It all goes back to the Gift of Righteousness and the abundance of grace which comes with it (Romans 5:17)

When we see that, then everything else falls into place, and all things indeed work for our good:

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 54:17)

It's all about His gift of righteousness!

Set Free From Second-Guessing by His Righteousness and Peace

The life I lived, I had lived in such terror of failure, or making a mistake, of doing something wrong.

I was constantly running my life by other people, asking for their opinion on so many things. It was really confusing, frustrating, a very trying life.

Where did this crazy idea come from?

Someone else was often interrupting the decisions I had been making in my life. This constant fear would grip me. As a result, I found myself not really doing much of anything anymore.

Yet the problem goes back to righteousness.

I didn't know about this precious gift. I never realized that God not only has made me as righteous as His Son.

This is a righteousness which He exhorts us to receive and keep receiving:

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)

That word "receive" is in the present progressive tense, which mean "who are receiving."

I never realized that this gift is something that we are called to keep receiving, and keep receiving even when we sin, even when we fail.

Yet this revelation is commensurate with what Paul writes at the end of Romans 5:

"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Romans 5:20)

Even when we sin, we fail, we fall short of the glory of God, His grace superabounds on us.

This is not a call to sin, but a demonstration that God's grace is greater than man's sin.

If man's sin could overpower God's grace, Jesus would have never come to the earth to die for us and to live for us!

"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14)

I am not blessed by God because I am good.

I am blessed because God is good, and His Son has taken us into Himself!

"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;" (2 Corinthians 5:18)

We don't have to second-guess anymore with fear that if we make a mistake, that we are lost and out of fellowship, or something.

We have already been reconciled to God the Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Now, when I am faced with difficult decisions, how do I deal with it? Before, it was nothing but inaction and frustration. I just feared the worst all the time. I was so dependent on someone else telling me "good" or "bad" about any decision I made. Would I have to depend on someone else after the fact giving me the OK?

No! We don't have to settle for that. God guides us now by His peace in us!

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." (Colossians 3:15, NIV)

"Rule" speaks of a judge presiding over a case. If there is no peace about something, then don't do it. 

I didn't feel peace for a long time because I was constantly worried about God being unhappy with me doing something that He would or would not approve of.

Now that I know that His never-ending gift of righteousness assures His peace with me, and mine with Him, I can allow His peace to act as a guide, a judge, an umpire in every case, in every decision.

Let's remember that our starting point with God is peace:

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" (Romans 5:1)

and

"For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;" (Ephesians 2:14)

Let's rest in the truth of God's gift of righteousness. We need never fear that God will be angry with us again. We should never have a sense of fear or foreboding towards God. His peace is our constant now.

We need never play second-guessing ever again!

Nothing Can Separate Me From God's Love

God loves me, and nothing can separate me from His love.

In contrast to this truth, Alcoholics Anonymous teaches that to be angry, to be upset cuts us off from the "sunlight of the spirit."

That is not true.

I am certain that I have written about this topic many times before, but I am interested, invested in writing about it again.

Paul writes to the Romans:

"35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

"36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

"37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39)

Nothing can separate us from God's love at all.

Yet I used to think that I had to work as hard as I could to "feel" a certain way. I needed to get all the bad emotions out of my head, my mind, my anything in order to function in the world. This contortion brought me so much pain, so much frustration.

"What if I have that memory and I get mad all over again?" I would think. I was reflecting so much on myself, on my emotions. There was so much bondage that had overcome me on account of this. I felt that I had to go out of my way to tell someone how angry, how hurt I was about the different behaviors, the different pains, the different sentiments of outrage which I had gone through.

God, what a miserable life I led. I was so easily offended, that I just didn't want to interact with anyone anymore. The power ended up in other people's hands. People could say or do just about whatever they wanted, and no matter what happened, I could just get so easily upset, then I got upset about being upset ...

And what was the root of all this bondage?

That getting angry, hurt, confused, whatever was going to separate me from God, that it was going to bring into some kind of emotional bondage.

Yet I have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:6).

I start at the finish line, I start with being complete in Him (Colossians 2:15), and this peace no one can take away from me. I can even tell my loving Daddy God that people make me feel bad, sad, mad, glad, whatever.

He is still there loving me, and He invites me to gain a greater revelation of His love for me, too.

This is just awesome and has given me a greater release into this life!

God is Good, God is Merciful--Therefore, Praise Him!

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever." (Psalm 118:1)

Many people think that they have to praise God in order for Him to do things in our lives.

The truth is that God is Good, that God is Merciful.

Consider that God sent His Son Jesus into the world for us (John 3:16).

In fact, Psalm 118 refers to God as our Salvation!

"14The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation." (Psalm 118:14)

He loved us before we even knew about Him or even cared:

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

We were still sinners. It's not just that we sinned, but we were defined by our sin.

"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5)

and also

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12)

Yet in spite of all that, God so loved us, that He sent His Son not just to die for us, but to become our life (Colossians 3:4) and our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Consider what John writes in his First Epistle:

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." (1 John 4:11)

and then

"We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19, NIV)

God is not just good, but He is good to us!

Notice in the next verses of Psalm 118 the different groups, the different people who are called upon to praise the Lord:

"Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

"Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever." (Psalm 118: 2-3)

First the entire nation, and then the priesthood, and then the Psalmist speaks for everyone who fears (believes on) God, and then He speaks for Himself:

"Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

"I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place." (Psalm 118: 4-5)

Again, God is good to us, and for that He elicits our praise.

Beloved, don't think that you have to flatter God to do something good in your life. He is our Life, and He is committed to blessing us in every way that He can!

It's All About the GIFT of Righteousness

Last month, early in the month, I was facing so many challenges.

I needed a new car, and I needed a steady income.

I was so frustrated. I was struggling with bills, debts, demands.

One night, I got so angry. I shouted at God: "What good is having my sins forgiven if  I can't pay the rent?!"

When I had shouted like that, I paused.

I did not esteem the sacrifice. When Jesus died on the Cross, He took away all my sins, and all the sins of the world. He paid the ultimate price so that none of us will ever have to. The guilt and shame of sin is great. There is no escaping it through our efforts. Our hearts cannot rest with any kind of security as long as we continue to feel guilty about the sinful things which we have said and done.

Sunday evening, the second week of July, I was meditating on the gift of righteousness which I have received, and which I am called to keep receiving (Romans 5:17). A great joy flooded my heart.

No matter how bad things may seem around me, I can rest assured that I have been made the righteousness  of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). No matter what the economic circumstances may have been, no matter if I had face similar setbacks, I had neither right nor reason to condemn myself.

In fact, that is precisely what had happened. I had started condemning myself. "How is it possible that I have ended up in this situation again? I have to do this. I must face that. I have to take these steps again to get by, etc. I thought I was going to be past this!"

Then I recall what Paul had shared with the Philippians:

"I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." (Philippians 4:12)

It takes time. We don't get used to hardship and easy-ships all the time and overnight. The struggles we overcame in the past we may face again, because Jesus wants us to see something new about Him! Paul learned how to handle all these setbacks. We learn to trust in Jesus and recognize that He is supplying all our needs according to His riches, and not out of them (Philippians 4:19).

The gift of righteousness is the foundation for all blessings.

Jesus wasn't mincing words are just idly speaking in His Sermon on the Mount:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

That Sunday night, after I finished church, I met with a friend. He had a job. He had a car. He had enough resources, and yet he was complaining.

For me, I rested in the truth that God has made me righteousness, and that no matter what may be happening around me, that this gift was the most important to receive ... and keep receiving.

The next day, I had a new job and I got a car. God met all of my needs!

But the most important thing was to rest in His peace. That's what mattered. I needed to esteem and recognize more deeply how great is His gift of righteousness, that through Jesus I am justified from all things! (Acts 13:38)

How I Have Stayed Out of The Dramas---All the Fullness Dwells in Him

I work with a number of activist groups in Southern California.

Infighting seems like an ongoing constant in many of these groups. Little conflicts emerge, hurt feelings happen, and there are so many misunderstandings.

Yet for all of the things that happen, all the disagreements, I have remained at peace.

For one, I tell individuals that they need to take up their issues with those whom they are in conflict.

I draw this wisdom from Jesus:

"15Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 18Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 18: 15-18)

Notice how Jesus instructs us to talk to the person who has hurt us alone.

Most people won't do that. They air their grievances publicly and shame people on social media so that everyone is in on the fight.

Many times I tell friends of mine to take their conflicts up with others. It's not good for them to run to me when they have an issue with someone else, and they haven't even bothered to say anything to first person in the first place!

What helps people to unite and stay united?

Not a focus on issues or even a project, since the process can get in the way of the goals.

Unity works out best in an individual, in the proper leader who can inspire and unite disparate cohorts and factions within a movement.

For me, my leader,my identity is found in Christ Jesus!

In Him, we leave off the disunity, the bickering, the fighting, the conflicts, and we are restored to a peaceful directed wholeness.

Check out Paul's exhortation to the Ephesians:

"1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:1-6)

Unity is in One Body, One Lord, One Baptism.

We are called to a Person, not to principles, not to ideas.

In Jesus, we find our rest and our relationship with everything else.

In Him, we find unity of heart as well as mind.

Consider Jesus warm consolation and promise to His disciples before His death on the Cross:

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1)

Jesus used the plural "your", but mentioned one heart. Jesus gives us rest and He brings unity when we believe on Him.

Consider what Cleopas and his wife shared after the broke bread with Jesus, who had expounded to them everything concerning Himself in the Scriptures:

"And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" (Luke 24: 32)

The couple spoke of one heart. Jesus brought them together!

This is how I have stayed out of the never-ending personal conflicts.

Jesus is my rest and my peace. I am called to a Person, Him who has been from the beginning (1 John 2:12)

When we see Him is our Leader, our Father--our Savior--much of the fleshly rancor falls away, and even when some people trespass against us, we do not fear to speak out against it, nor do we fear losing a person because they hold something dear to us that we cannot do without.

"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:9)

Our Sins Have Been Perfectly Paid For at the Cross

I hate AA.

This cult teaches people that they have to continue making amends for all the sins, the failures, the follies, and the fallouts in their lives. They have no rest.

In fact, one passage in the Big Book declares that in AA, it is a life of action and still more action. There is no resting on one's laurels.

There is never a sure sense of forgiveness for anything.

I would confess my deepest sins, perversions, crimes, bad thoughts in my head, and yet there was never a sense of liberty, a sense of "It Is Finished."

This lingering sense of shame would never go away from me. Ever.

And yet ...

The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) when we confess our sins--that does not mean that we must keep on confessing.

For the Jewish mind throughout the Old Testament, the confession of sins was a basic acknowledgement that we have sin, that a sin nature has been imputed to us because of Adam.

Today, we are in Christ, friend from the sin and condemnation of Adam.

Check out what 1 John Chapter 2 reads, for those who still believe that 1 John 1: 9 means continual confession of sins to be forgiven:

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:1-2)

Notice that John does not say to "my little children" to confess sins to be forgiven. Remember also that throughout Paul's writings, not once does Paul charge his readers, the fellow believers in the body of Christ, to confess their sins to be forgiven.

Our minds need to be able to rest in the grace of God, that through His Son Jesus all our sins have been purged, paid for, and put away.

We find this revelation in Isaiah:

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26:3)

The word "stayed" is first mentioned in the verse below:

"And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?" (Genesis 27:37)

God is our sustainer, our provider. We need never worry about how we will get through our days, what we will do in the face of lack, because our Lord Jesus is watching out for us.

The second mention of "stay" appears in this verse:

"And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock." (Exodus 29:10)

Here, the priests put their hands on the head of the animal sacrifice. The animal would take the sins of the man offering the sacrifice, so that the animal would be punished for the sins, and the man would leave the altar of sacrifice knowing that his sins were atoned.

Today, we have Jesus, who not only atoned, i.e. covered for our sins, but His sacrifice put away all our sins forever!

"11But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:11-14)

The blood of animals atoned for sin, but the blood of Jesus purges our conscience, that we no longer feel the need to have to do something to make ourselves right with God!

And there's more:

"4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." (Hebrews 10:4)

and then

"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Hebrews 10:12-14)

We have forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus. We need never feel that we must punish ourselves or worry that we need to still pay for the wrong things that we have done.

For a long time, I would still have lingering panics about how I felt. "What if? What if?" still clouded my mind, and I would remember how I had felt in years past, and how I could not get out of that sense of upset and alarm for the longest time.

That is the truth warfare which plagues all of us, including Christians.

Paul was not mincing the fact that we have warfare all around us.

But our weapons against the attacks of the enemy are powerful!

"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2 Corinthians 10: 4-5)

We find peace, we find full prosperity, because in our minds we have rest. We know that all our sins have been perfectly paid for at the cross, and we need never wake up and wonder every day if I still have to do something more to make sure that before God I am justified:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Don't Feel Bad About Where You Are

Condemnation kills.

This is what I have learned from reading God's Word and hearing His Word preached in a respectful, holy reverence.

Thank God for Pastor Joseph Prince, who received inspiration from the Holy Spirit to provide a fuller, richer, more welcome revelation on everything which God is doing in our lives.

Righteousness is what matters. His gifts of righteousness and the abundance of grace, both gifts which we receive because of Christ Jesus, make all the difference, and they make the difference every day in every way (Romans 5:17).

I have faced some interesting challenges this past week. Intriguing and interesting. Without going into great detail, I submit that the challenges I was facing, should be challenges that I would never have to face again. Then I felt bad, because I was thinking to myself "Here I am again. I thought I would never have to face these hardships again."

That line of thinking, that standard which I had drawn for myself, was a standard which God had not imposed on me. I brought myself under this strange condemnation once again.

I am not where I was three years ago, five years ago, ten years ago. What's different today is that I understand God's gift of righteousness in ways which I had not realized or received before. I "knew" that God was not condemning me for my sins or for anything else before.

Now it has come much more deeply into my heart. I was feeling bad about facing challenges which I had faced before. These issues come to everyone in many ways. The setbacks I have faced before, the situations where I have found myself today, cannot be resolved with a sense of shame.

Shame is dead. Jesus died on the Cross to take all of our sin, all of our shame, all of our failures. The answer is not to look backwards. There is no reason for us to wonder why we find ourselves where we are. The best thing for us to do is ... to keep looking at Jesus, the Author and Finisher of Faith (Hebrews 12: 1-2).

It's time to stop feeling bad about whatever situation you find yourself in. Ruth didn't look at her circumstances. She did not consider her heritage, her previous actions. She said to her mother-in-law: "Your God will be my God. Your people will be my people." It's as simple as that.

She then banked on God's favor: period.

Let me bring this to a brief discussion earlier today. I contacted a friend of mine for guidance on something. I explained the challenge I was facing at this time today. He explained to me what was going on with others, and he outlined the demands on his time, too. First, it woke me up. Whatever concerns I am dealing with, I am not the only one facing those concerns. Other people are in worse or more difficult situations than I may be facing.

Second, he said something very straightforward: "Don't feel bad. You are not alone."

These are circumstances which I find myself in, and they are not necessarily of my doing. Yes, I get to make wise, well-reasoned responses. There is a clear set of responsibilities that I must take into account. But unlike in years past, I do not feel guilty, I do not feel alone. I am not abandoned by God, for He has promised "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13: 5)

Since this time going forward, I have learned to do the following:

1. Keep asking for God's grace. Do not stop. I need God's grace, His unmerited favor every day! I didn't ask for His favor in my life every day. It's still so strange to me, sometimes.

2. Second, we need to go wherever we can, because our stepping out demonstrates trust in God's favor in our lives.

"2And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter." (Ruth 2:2)

I wasn't willing to go out looking for favor, looking for opportunity because I had felt like a failure. I felt that way, that's all. Feelings are not truth, and we need to learn to take God's Word as the full and final definition of who we are.

3. I didn't pray a lot from a position of need. I would simply say "God, show me something." I was asking for wisdom, but what does Hebrews 4:16 say?

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

I have greater need of His favor in my life every day. For the longest time, I have arrived at certain points in my career, my activism, my walk, whatever ... Since when do I stop asking Him for more favor? Never!

4. I started praying for other people's needs, too. I didn't do that in the past. I just wouldn't.

Yet in at least two instances (and I know that there are more), God shows how prayer for others helps to release God's favor in our lives. First, Abraham prayed for the household of Abimelech, and the ladies in his harem and house bore children. Job prayed for his friends, and then God turned his captivity (John 42:10).

I had written previously that God was shaping my mind and soul to believe more of the truth, to walk in the righteous gift of God's grace in a new, lighter, better way as I had not before.

That is starting to happen. This is really awesome!

Another Reason Why God Has Permitted Delay in My Life

I am an impatient person.

I want all my problems solved, and I want them solved right away.

I don't like facing deadlines and troubles in front of me. I don't want hardships overwhelming me. I don't like that there are clearcut problems in my way.

I also notice that I got angry about stuff a lot. I tended to recycle upsets, resentments, and hurts on a frequent basis.

There were lots of issues, lots of pains and problems which I had confronted.

Today, though, as I look more at Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith, I see how much He wants us to prosper completely, inside and outside.

We need to rest in Him.

I wasn't totally prosperous inside. I wanted my life to have all the problems resolved and resolved right away.

I have learned to see Jesus much more, much larger in my path than I had before.

I don't look at yesterday. I don't fear for the morrow. 

Jesus has embraced everything, because He holds everything together.

For the longest time, I kept saying "Jesus, show me more of yourself."

I needed to read and heed God's Word on a greater level in order to do that.

The subject of Jesus as my High Priest forever has commanded a great deal of respect and honor for me.

It is great to know that He is watching out for me, that He is watching out for and cares for all of us, for all of what we are facing in this life.

This morning, I realized also that I didn't pray for other people. I have often been consumed in my own life, in my own troubles, in my own interests.

That is not God's best for us, either.

"And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." (John 42:10)

God restored so much more to Job than he had lost.

Also, Abraham received the promise after he prayed for Abimelech's household.

Here's the final section of Genesis 20:

"16And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. 17So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. 18For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife." (Genesis 20:16-18)

Wow!

Then see what happened in the next chapter:

"1And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 2For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him." (Genesis 21:1-2)

Abraham prayed for Abimelech and his entire househeld, that the women could conceive and bear children. How strange is that? God had promised Abraham and Sarah child, and yet they had remained barren for years.

Their lack did not mean that they could not pray for others to receive a blessing.

Then God blessed Abraham and Sarah in turn.

I imagine that the same blessing is coming my way, too.