It Is Finished!

Posted on 2019/02/02 by JimR, Chaplain

John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

IT IS FINISHED!

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance states: Christ satisfied God’s justice by dying for all to pay for the sins of the elect. These sins can never be punished again since that would violate God’s justice. Sins can only be punished once, either by a substitute or by yourself. The “once” here speaks of sin in general, not if you do something like cuss twice in the same week when you slam a hammer on your thumb a couple of times. That only means you’re a bad carpenter and need more practice.

Christ, being our substitute died for us. Otherwise, we are sentenced to die.

The word “finished” means to perform the last act which completes a process. Jesus completed the process whereby God can once again walk in and with His people who profess their faith in Him.

The Mosaic Law was fulfilled. Now instead of the blood of bulls and goats to atone for sin on a yearly basis, we now have the blood of Jesus that has atoned for the sin of all mankind for evermore. Blood, here, is the Greek word “aima”, pronounced hah’-ee-mah. In its description in Strong’s it delineates this usage as the atoning blood of Christ; by implication, bloodshed.

Where do we as understanding Christians stand in this completion?

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee,

This is specifically speaking of Jeremiah. But the thought remains that God knew him before he was in the womb.

Luke 1:44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

So. Even in the womb, the child can hear and understand what’s going on as evidenced by Elizabeth towards Mary.

The key verse to this writing is Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

The word “us” in this verse means exactly what it says. . . “us” You and me.

Word: katabolh  is the Greek word for “foundation”.

Pronounce: kat-ab-ol-ay’

Strongs Number: G2602

Orig: from 2598; a deposition, i.e. founding; figuratively, conception:–conceive, foundation. G2598

Use: TDNT-3:620,418 Noun Feminine

Heb Strong:
1) a throwing or laying down
1a) the injection or depositing of the virile semen in the womb
1b) of the seed of plants and animals
2) a founding (laying down a foundation)

This is why I like studying words. Think for a moment in how God thinks. God thinks outside of time. Even in Jewish customary thinking they have only two time tenses. Past and future, although you can peg a spot in the line in between the two, even though we would not know where when that is since we really think about it something like “right now”.

“. . .He hath chosen us IN Him BEFORE the foundation of the world.

Word: kosmoj

Pronounce: kos’-mos

Strongs Number: G2889

Orig: probably from the base of 2865; orderly arrangement, i.e. decoration; by implication, the world (in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively (morally)):–adorning, world. G2865

Use: TDNT-3:868,459 Noun Masculine

Heb Strong: H134 H3627 H4639 H5716 H5716 H6635 H8499 H8597

1) an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government
2) ornament, decoration, adornment, i.e. the arrangement of the stars, ‘the heavenly hosts’ , as the ornament of the heavens. 1Pe 3:3
3) the world, the universe
4) the circle of the earth, the earth
5) the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family
6) the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ
7) world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly
7a) the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ
8) any aggregate or general collection of particulars of any sort
8a) the Gentiles as contrasted to the Jews (Ro 11:12 etc)
8b) of believers only, John 1:29; 3:16; 3:17; 6:33; 12:47 1Co 4:9; 2Co 5:19

Note that if we were in Him before the foundation of the world, when He died we were forgiven when He said “It is finished”. He wrapped our gift of salvation already given at the time He gave up the ghost. We were fore-given another words. We were forgiven in Him. As I see it to give a gift means it has to have our name on it. We don’t just hand out gifts at Christmas randomly. We give them to friends and family whose names are written on that gift that is theirs. Now. All we have to do is accept the gift He so graciously gave us. It contains our salvation with all its power over sin. All we have to do to receive it is confess the sin in our life from the first Adam. He is just to forgive us. Jesus has already forgiven you and your name was added to the Book of Life.

What happens to those who do not come to a realization of the saving grace of Jesus Christ? David’s writing of the Psalms asked for their removal that do not heed the Lord.

Psalm 69:28 (KJV)

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

Psalm 109:13

Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

How simple is salvation? It’s by acknowledging He has already written your name in the Book of Life when He said “It is finished”.

How do you remain lost and undone in sin? By not accepting the gift. When you come before judgment, your name will not be found because you refused the gift with your name on it. The name was taken off of the gift when it became apparent you did not receive or refused it.

To close this out. All you have to do is realize that the sin of the first Adam has been reversed by the crucifixion of Jesus. At that time His gift of an everlasting overcoming life had your name written in it. Don’t refuse it. Today is the day you can ask. And you will receive the indwelling presence of Him who afforded you eternal life



Posted in Abundant life, Christian, church, Death, Love, Ponderings, Sobering Thoughts, Spiritual, Spiritual Investments | Leave a comment

For There is No Condemnation

Posted on 2019/01/29 by JimR, Chaplain

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

I’m finding out later in life deeper meaning to scripture. We’re all told by someone that they’ve read a scripture many times in their life and then suddenly one day it jumps out and grabs their heart. Well?

There is therefore NOW no condemnation. How can one judge in the courts of law without a sentence of condemnation? You know if you’re found guilty of an offence in the courts, you will be condemned to a sentence to fit the crime.  But Jesus advocated for us.  He won the case.  So if there is no condemnation, there is no judgment.

So we should not judge one another in condemnation.  But we should discern

Hebrews 5:14:  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Word: diakrisij  Pronounce: dee-ak’-ree-sis

Strongs Number: G1253

Orig: from 1252; judicial estimation:–discern(-ing), disputation. G1252

Use: TDNT-3:949,469 Noun Feminine

Heb Strong: H4657

    1) a distinguishing, discerning, judging

Some people will quote Matthew 7:1, where Christ said during the Sermon on the Mount, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Of course, when they quote this verse in regard to such situations, they take it out of context to support their fallacious claims. When we consider the concept of judging, especially as it relates to the Sermon on the Mount, Christ tells us to be discerning, not condemning.

Word: krinw  Pronounce: kree’-no

Strongs Number: G2919

Orig: properly, to distinguish, i.e. decide (mentally or judicially); by implication, to try, condemn, punish:–avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.

The same word for judge is used in the following scripture. 

1 Corinthians 6:2-4 King James Version (KJV)

2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?  3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?  4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

Judging “angels” in the verse below implies “a pastor” or “messenger”.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law of the old covenant could not allow for one to do was . . .

A.  Walk after the Spirit. v4

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

B.  Obtain life and peace. v6

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

C.  Allow the Spirit of God can dwell in you. v9

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

D.  Have righteousness within you. v10

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

How do we know that? 

Word: logizomai  Pronounce: log-id’-zom-ahee

Romans 4:24-25: But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

E.  Quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. v11

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

What brings us to the place Paul explains about above? No condemnation alludes to the fact that God loves us unconditionally. Look at all the things we have done. Not a pretty picture. Many children have been disappointments to their parents and we are no different in the state of humanity to God. But yet, He loves us still.

What did He do to fix the chasm between Him and us?

John 3:16 (KJV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

That giving was death of His Son. How many would do this? He did it to redeem us from our old nature of sin and death that cannot be righted by the Mosaic law as described in the Pentateuch.

John 19:30

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. What was finished? That’s where I want to really go with this teaching. There will be more to follow

Posted in Abundant life, Christian, church, Death, Ponderings, Sobering Thoughts, Spiritual Investment | 1 Comment

Culmination

Posted on 2019/01/26 by JimR, Chaplain

From the age of 13 I knew I was called to the ministry. I would lie in my bed at night and preach to the dark ceiling in my bedroom before turning over to sleep. I had not even made a confession of salvation at that point, but I grew up in a family that believed in going to church and I was there from the earliest of my remembrances.

I remember my mom taught my toddler class. We sat at small tables in small chairs in a small room in a neighborhood called Small, near Aurora, and would learn Bible stories and then cut n paste or color. Some of my earliest childhood I can surprisingly remember. As I grew to become a teen, I sat in my youth class that was taught by my grandmother. I was in this class until I was practically out of high school.

I was in the youth choir. At the age of 16 I finally let go of the the trim on the back of the pew in front of me and walked to the front and gave my heart to Jesus during a revival around June 9th 1966. My mom was so proud. Her dad was a long time Baptist evangelist turned pastor until he retired due to his health. He became my example.

Don’t go thinking all this was happening to a squeaky clean teenager. There was a lot of shenanigans that went on that potentially could have landed me in Juvie or jail. But that’s another story for another time.

Then at age 19, the Army got me for Vietnam. God had other plans, though. I was stationed in Germany for 19 months, but was cut five for an early out. Still, I was told even if I didn’t go to Vietnam, I was still considered a Veteran of the Vietnam Era. I will say that I went willingly to do whatever was required of me. But God had other plans.

From then till I was 26 or 27 I floundered about in life with no real aim. My first wife and I made a feeble attempt to go to church after her mom died, but it flopped more than a fish on a pier and it died, too. When I reached 27, though, God had me in a pickle. He started dealing with me over commitment. It started slow. At first I was what I called a “Home Baptist”. That’s right. I sat at home on Sunday morning and watched Pastor Jerry Falwell. His contribution to my growth was his recommendation of a Thompson Chain Reference Bible, a Vines Expository Dictionay and a Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.

In 1977 I made a promise to God that I would serve Him and He took me up on it. He sat me in an Assemblies of God church, with salvation reaffirmed and baptized in the Holy Ghost. My life changed dramatically. The call to preach was back on me strong. Even with that, I was still deathly afraid of public speaking. There is so much to tell in between all I’m saying here and perhaps I’ll expand on it later, but not now for sake of brevity.

During the time with the AG church I heard this man teaching on a Christian radio station. Not only did he say a lot of things that clarified what was happening in my life, but he also tweaked my “religious” beliefs to the point I got angry with him and refused to listen to him on his radio program for several months while I tried to disprove some of his teaching. I’d already found some of what he taught to be expounded by others in a book I picked up in Cox’s Christian Book Store in Wilmington. That upset me as well, before I ever heard this man’s teaching.

What I didn’t realize at the time was God had this provocation put me in motion to not only read, but study in depth. The Word came alive to me during this time of solitude with Him and all that I tried to disprove became the factor that made me realize I was wrong. I had to change. That is a difficult process.

After about five or six months a couple of elderly ladies I knew invited me to go see him in a church in Brunswick County and I reluctantly went. His teaching was on the Kingdom of God, What It Is, Where It Is and The Ruler-ship of God over it. It forever changed me again. I ate it up.

For 30 plus years I was a part of the ministry of this man. He was and still holds some of the most profound teaching anyone will ever experience. He was a friend, but not a close friend. He and I were so much different. He was a driven person, I was more laid back, but we both dug into the Word as deep as we could. That scared people. Namely my family. My dad had told my brothers to not engage me in Christian conversation. I lost friends over it.

I wrote a couple of tracts, but for the most part I was, and still am, a musician. I played in the church band for 25 years. I ran the church print shop for sixteen years keeping 45 books in stock. I produced cover designs, printed newsletters, posters and materials for the Christian school we had. I worked the sound board when I wasn’t playing. Eventually I was ordained as a deacon in the church and was assigned duties as a Care Pastor to a portion of the congregation. I counseled with my people. Helped them get their bills paid so they didn’t go without. I also conducted the funeral of one of my people in my care. I preached outside the house once, but all other times I preached in-house. Oh, way back in the 80’s when I was to minister my first time I was still deathly afraid of crowds, but while in the prayer room before that first time, God spoke to me. It freed me from the faces of men completely and I began to laugh. I went out that night and ministered a good Word on God Is Building a House. Can’t say the delivery was even close to good, though. That takes time to improve upon.

Then came the darkest of days for me in my mid-fifties. I feel from grace. I became burned out. I lost the most valuable of lessons. It wasn’t until well after the loss of my dignity, marriage and a lot of money that I came to realize that the reason I was diagnosed with severe depression and suffering from anxiety attacks was because I was too busy doing instead of being. It’s been a long road back. I remember one thing a preacher once said. Everything that has happened to you, good or bad, is something God can turn into rocket fuel to propel you into the future He’s prepared for you. I had a lot of rocket fuel.

I did a lot of things wrong, but God turned it around. He’s given me a new wife. A Godly wife, who is on par with me. She taught me unconditional love. She is God’s gift to me that saved my life from the pit.

We started attending church together and we grew in the humbleness of a Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in the beginning. We were married there. We still love the people there, but God moved us on to another church where my wife grew exponentially. Then He pulled the feathers out of that nest, as an eagle does to get the eaglets to be uncomfortable enough to try their wings.

I had been searching for the door to ministering again for about the last five years. God gives me titles to messages and some understanding of it, but I never was given opportunity. The door remained closed until last September. I never suspected we’d end up in a fresh new congregation that was a result of the previous two other ministries in the same building where I spent 30 years.

After hurricane Florence I stopped in to see what extent of damage was done to the building and met the new pastor. I felt a kinship immediately. He’s a young man of 25 years old, but with a wisdom that is developing and will be something to watch as he grows. God spoke to my wife and I to attend there and that is where we are now. Kingdom Culture Church.

I asked nothing of the pastor. He offered nothing to me other than a place to come and worship freely. Lib and I felt God moving in every service. We call it our home for the rest of our lives. I told Pastor that. He and I can talk openly and freely. I haven’t had that since my pastor from the AG church in the 70’s.

Now. The surprise to my cries. I’ve felt to search for the open door to my complete restoration. It came this week. I’d already been placed on the Bible Study roster and will be teaching the 28th of February, but I got a text asking me was I ordained. I said I was only ordained as a deacon by Praise Tabernacle Ministries years ago. The person who texted asked me would I accept ordination from KCC. I gave it a couple of days to sink in. Then I accepted this invitation. There was no expectation on my part, but God has finally decided I’m ready for a new level. As I sat in Bible Study Thursday night a woman I know that was in the ministry at PTM took my hand and leaned forward and spoke to me that God was about to promote me quickly. I asked was she aware of any conversations I’d had with the Pastor. She said no, she has been sick, which I can attest to since she’d been hospitalized and is slowly recovering now. It was my final confirmation I’m on the right track.

All my life I’ve known this would come to pass. All that has happened good and bad, has fired off the rocket fuel to the 2nd of February when I will be ordained into the ministry. From life’s experiences I’ve been qualified. My studies and school for ministry in the early 80’s have qualified me. Even the bad things have qualified me. I am touched deeply at God’s decision and calling on me. As I read the biography of George Muller many years ago, I saw he didn’t start his traveling ministry till he was about my age and he preached in many places for about twenty years afterward. He lived into his nineties. That speaks to me. I still have issues, but God has the answers to those issues. It’s my part to obey. . .and the answers will come.

If you, who reads this, finds you’ve lived as best you could, yet feel you have failed in some way, big or small, take heart. I didn’t write this for my own glory. It’s for the glory of God. I was reminded, too, on Thursday evening that God’s purpose and bringing it about are bigger than my ability to fail. If you think one minute you’ve failed, you’re wrong. Give it up, because God’s ability to bring you into your calling is bigger. That’s what this writing is all about.

Posted in Abundant life, Christian, church, Dreams, Memories, Music, Patience, Ponderings, Possibilities, Prayer, Sobering Thoughts, Spiritual, Spiritual Investment, Spiritual Investments | Leave a comment

Who Do You Say I Am?

Posted on 2018/12/24 by JimR, Chaplain

A couple of months ago, I was asked would I agree to being placed on the rotation for Bible Studies on Thursday evenings. My turn would/will come in February. I humbly said I would like to do so.

For those in attendance of this Bible Study I feel there must be some degree of introduction, since my wife and I are fairly new to this particular ministry.

The first time I met Pastor Tim, I felt an immediate connection. There had been some trepidation on my part because I was a part of the original church that was housed in the building that this new ministry meets in for some 30 years.

But with this connection to Pastor Tim, I felt the answer to the questions and discussions I’d had with God over whether I was done with ministry as I thought or was I to minister again as I had heard God say. Since the dark days of my life ten years ago when my first marriage failed I had to endure the slow walk back to this point in time. I left the church back then after discussion with the second pastor of that time.

I’ve told Libby I had begun to sense I was to minister again. That sense had been gone a long time.

I must introduce to you the new revised edition of James Rowe. It started out kind of jokingly when I started working in the IT department at the Naval Hospital that I could no longer use the name “Larry” since they already had one. So I said for them to call me James. It later came to Jim. The sad part to me was by the time I retired I was referred to as Mr. Rowe. It was respectful, I suppose, but at the time I only equated it to becoming old.

But over time, this name change became a moniker to show I lost the identity of who I was. God has shown me I’m no longer the man I was way back then. I am a broken man. My own mistakes broke me. All I can say is that God has turned what seemed to be a bad choice around into what has actually saved my life. Libby has been the perfect example to me of unconditional love. She’s encouraged me. She’s not put limitations on me to be who I feel I should be. I could not love anyone more than I love her, simply because I give God the credit for her being in my life as a gift from Him.

That name thing has presented a dilemma for those who knew me back in the day and to those who have only recently gotten to know me. Let me gently say to all. Call me Jim. I’m not the person I used to be.

In His ministry Jesus was in the business of introducing people to His Father. We know His ministry was clouded in a mystery in a way. It’s apparent not everyone knew who He was.

Matthew 16:13-20 New International Version (NIV)

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[c] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[d] loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Some thought He was as the scripture states. No one consensus defined who He was. Other than scripture stating that He was the incarnate part of God the Father, many knew little of His being. His existence.

When Peter answered that He was the Messiah, the Son of the living God, Jesus stated that the revelation of this to Peter was correct. Many say that the church would be built on Peter’s answer, but to be honest the rock that is spoken about here is interpreted in two ways.

The debate rages over whether “the rock” on which Christ will build His church is Peter, or Peter’s confession that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). In all honesty, there is no way for us to be 100% sure which view is correct. The grammatical construction allows for either view. The first view is that Jesus was declaring that Peter would be the “rock” on which He would build His church. Jesus appears to be using a play on words. “You are Peter (petros) and on this rock (petra) I will build my church.” Since Peter’s name means rock, and Jesus is going to build His church on a rock – it appears that Christ is linking the two together. God used Peter greatly in the foundation of the church. It was Peter who first proclaimed the Gospel on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14-47). Peter was also the first to take the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10:1-48). In a sense, Peter was the rock “foundation” of the church.

The other popular interpretation of the rock is that Jesus was referring not to Peter, but to Peter’s confession of faith in verse 16: “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” Jesus had never explicitly taught Peter and the other disciples the fullness of His identity, and He recognized that God had sovereignly opened Peter’s eyes and revealed to him who Jesus really was. His confession of Christ as Messiah poured forth from him, a heartfelt declaration of Peter’s personal faith in Jesus. It is this personal faith in Christ which is the hallmark of the true Christian. Those who have placed their faith in Christ, as Peter did, are the church. Peter expresses this in 1 Peter 2:4 when he addressed the believers who had been dispersed around the ancient world: “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

I lean more to the idea that Jesus is the Rock. Peter made a correct statement of this, yet Peter’s name meaning “rock” likewise cannot be denied. I just simply look at God as a many faceted God and we can look at this scripture in either way.

A side note here is that I’m a musician. Been so since I was fifteen. One thing I’ve learned about music, for me at least, is that I can see music in dimensions much similar to looking at the line drawing of a 3-d box. Some say you see it from the bottom, others say you see it from the top, yet it’s still a box no matter how you look at it.

So if you see Peter as the focal point of this revelation, so be it, but I think Peter acknowledged that Jesus is the rock or stone that is the cornerstone of which the church was to be built. A cornerstone removed from a building will cause its collapse. So to me it has to be the revelation that Jesus is the Rock.

Psalm 18:2 King James Version (KJV)

2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Psalm 118:22

The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone.

Matthew 21:42

Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’?

Jesus came for a manifold reason, but I’ll only speak of two. First and foremost it was to reconcile man to God by His one-time sacrifice. But He was also into showing man who the Father is. He did it by example.

John 14:9

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

Jesus’ main thrust in ministry was to show the world His father, that being God. I wonder some times that this may be the reason why when He’d heal someone, He’d say to go and tell no one so as to know draw attention to Himself or as stated upon the revelation of Him by Peter where He directed the disciples to not reveal what He had spoken of.

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Circumstance or Challenge

Posted on 2018/12/18 by JimR, Chaplain

What do you do when confronted with circumstances that negatively affect you? I have another “c” word I use instead of “c”ircumstances. Try using “c”hallenge. With every circumstance comes a challenge to look for kinks in the armor of that circumstance. They always have them. Nothing is too great for God not to give you the ability to find them. Once you do, you are no longer at the mercy of that circumstance. You’ve taken the challenge to overcome it and will easily defeat that enemy by taking advantage of its weakness. David knew where to strike Goliath. His aim was sure and his stone hit exactly where the giant’s weakness was. He didn’t kick around the dust at his feet and slowly approach his enemy. Note that he RAN toward his enemy. What is challenging you today? It’s time to defeat that giant that hasn’t seen how big your God is and take a run at it.

I Sam 17:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

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Alone With My Thoughts

Posted on 2018/12/14 by JimR, Chaplain

It’s a chilly, but unseasonable night. Raining outside and will be for the next day. I’m home alone with my girls, Sarah, Fiesta and Paige. Libby is with her family in Virginia. I would like to have gone with her, but the dictates of my job and the completed sale of my truck and picking up the Mustang for shipment have kept me back at home.

I had a bit of “God” happen today. I sold my truck, for less than I had wanted, but while talking with the young man, I found out he’s a Christian man. I felt like God sent him to not only buy my truck, but also to invite him to Kingdom Culture. He lives in Richlands and the only church he’s liked is in Swansboro. That’s a long drive to church. We rode by the First Baptist Family Life Center so he’d know where we meet and I showed him our building that is under renovation. Hurricane Flo did about $380k in damages to it. I feel we may see him and his family in church.

We are really short on bus drivers and could use some able bodied people willing to make some money while investing in the lives of our young people in our district. I won’t lie. It’s hard to deal with children and teens. I try to deal with it as best I can. I can only hope they absorb some of what I want them to know about discipline. Writing up a student isn’t my fun thing to do, but I have to remember that it’s because they broke a rule and I have to enforce them. Still, I have some I really enjoy seeing every day. I have one kindergartner lose his first tooth while waiting to leave the school in the afternoon earlier this week. Oh, it was bloody hell when he screamed and I looked over at him with blood around his mouth and on his hands, but we cleaned him up and all is well. Unfortunately we lost the tooth somewhere on the bus. It was his upper front. A day later he lost his other upper front at home.

Driving the bus is a no-brainer for me. I drove one in high school and the military and a city bus in years past. I even drove tractor-trailers. It’s probably the only job I can multi-task with. You have to watch for other traffic. Especially the ones who run the red lights at a stop. Then there’s the students who jump seats when they think you’re not looking. Their yelling doesn’t bother me for the most part. I’m hard of hearing. HA! And of course I have to watch that I do what I’m supposed to do during the drive time as well. Enough of work for a moment.

Another thought comes to mind. I knew from an early age I would minister the Word of God. But through my late fifties and early sixties I concluded I was done with it and looked at it as I had done what was required of me. Now in the past few years I’ve felt it coming back to me again. I’ve even told Libby I hear God say I will minister again. My problem was with where I was. Libby was hungry for more, although she dearly loves the people in “our” first church where we were married. So we felt God set us in another church and she grew exponentially, having read the entire Bible through almost to her second time. She’s very dedicated to that. She has been made fun of by some who know her well, speaking about her being a “Christian” woman, but I think it’s admirable of her. Yet I was not given the opportunity to minister as I felt the calling was. Now we recently were set in another church called Kingdom Culture Church. Now my time has come. I have been asked to minister the Word in a Bible Class in February. This will be the fruition of what I’ve been hearing and feeling the last couple of years or more.

From the day I met Pastor Tim Cavanaugh, I have felt a kindred spirit in him. He’s a go getter from the start. The vision he has is a big one and knowing God as I do from years of being a Christian I say “go for it”. Libby and I are behind him and the rest of the people under his care. His ministry is a continuation of a prophesy I heard many times in years gone by. The property the church bought was formerly Praise Tabernacle, then Kingdom Life. Now, it’s Kingdom Culture. The prophesy I heard spoken was in the first ministry was that it would build three times and then there would be further instruction. This church is that third building. God has allowed me to see that building and I thank Him for it.

So, that is my being alone with my thoughts for the evening. Random as they are.

Posted in Abundant life, Christian, church, Patience, Ponderings, Possibilities, Prayer, Random Thoughts, Spiritual, Spiritual Investment | Leave a comment

Change of Season

Posted on 2018/10/23 by JimR, Chaplain

Ah! what a beautiful fall day!  I love the fall more than the other seasons.  Can’t pinpointautumn_scene_9 a specific reason why, but I could try.

Spring has its hopes of new growth under the warmth of the early rising sun. Days getting longer.  It’s a time for getting out from the cloistered rooms of home to enjoy the new fresh smells of life budding out into flowers.

But fall.  It has a different facet that makes me feel at one with all things.  It’s the time of harvest.  From the labors of the field come the fruits of the summer time growth.  The leaves display their colors and fall to the ground.  The warmth of the sun succumbs to the chill of the fall and coming winter season.  Jackets come out and we watch as our breath fogs the air in the early morning.  Frost is due anytime now and the grass will turn brown and no longer need cutting till next spring.

But aside from what we can see, feel, smell and touch with our natural senses, I tend to sense something deeper inside me.  It’s like a connection to the spiritual realm.  I’m calm inside.  I’m at peace with the world.  I’ve always felt this every year of my life.  Could it be tied to my birth?  I was born on October 25th.  Sixty eight years old this time around.  How did I do it?  I can only answer that I am blessed.  My health is good considering my age.  One thing I’m sure about.  God is in control.  Nothing gets past Him.

For a surety my son, I have given thee longer life.  And even more still.  There is a best time in your life ahead.  You want to minister My Words to people’s hearts in a way to cause them to see Me.  It shall be so.

George_MullerThat’s what I hear God say to me.  I once read the biography of George Mueller.  He was a German/English Christian evangelist who oversaw Ashley Down Orphanage.  This orphanage took care of over 10 thousand children over it’s time.  The thing that impressed me most about this man was that God used him mightily during this time, yet he didn’t start a traveling evangelistic ministry until he was 70 years old.  He went on to preach until he was 87 years old and then retiring back to England after traveling, it is estimated to have been, over 200k miles.  He died at the age of 92.  As I recall hundreds of thousands of dollars flowed through his ministry, yet when he died, he died with very little of his own.

I identify with this man for some reason.  I am from German decent as well.  My Peggys dad 1grandfather was a Baptist minister and was the Germanic influence in my life.  He was a small man in stature, yet in the spirit he was a giant of a man.  I have a picture of him on my wall of fame as a man who inspired my life to be what it is to a large extent today.

Perhaps my best days still lie ahead.  I can only trust God in the matter of that being true.  One thing is for sure.  The time has come when there is nothing in me as in my younger days.  It was an itch to preach.  I know longer have that.

All I care to do is to stand before the people, bow my head and silence myself, clearing a path through this vessel that He may speak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Abundant life, church, Dreams, Health, Memories, Patience, Ponderings, Possibilities, Sobering Thoughts, Spiritual, Spiritual Investment | Leave a comment

Paradigm Shift

Posted on 2018/10/17 by JimR, Chaplain

Next week I will be sixty eight years old.  Life has truly been gracious to me even with the struggles that have been salted into it.

Lately, I have sensed a change of direction coming.  Doors are slowly closing.  My wife and I are set to anticipate the opening of new doors.  The sensation of what may be ahead are usually set with anxiety, but this time, I feel it will be different.  It’s as if it’s the coming into my own right.  All the years behind me have brought me to this day.

My wife and I thought we’d found the church to end all churches for the remaining portion of our walk on this earth, but we have been profoundly shaken over events that have occurred in the church.  None of it involves us as an intricate part of the event.

The contrast of where I came from in life and where my wife came from is broad.  She spent years in and out of church, but in the last four or so years she has grown by leaps and bounds having read the Bible through once and is nearing her second read through.  She has been solidly saved and filled with the Spirit.  I am blessed to know her and have her as a deep part of my life.

I spent 30 some odd years heavily involved in church.  I did grow up in a Baptist church so you could tack on a few more luke warm years.  But those thirty years were very formative.  I saw a lot as a leader.  I’ve seen the good, the bad and the downright ugly.  I could say I am included with the ugly at the end of it all.

It has taken me several years to allow myself time to come to a new realization of who I am.  People from my past would not know me now.  I walk more solidly and understand situations and hopefully can articulate how I feel more clearly.

I do have a fault of going into too much detail and my wife will readily say “Do you have to say so much about that”?  Then I have to pare it down to the base form of the statement I am trying to convey.

I will make this post short.  To say what I feel is this.  I feel a paradigm shift in the making.  A totally new way and direction is at hand.  Where this will take us is not fully known at this moment.  I just know that my heart is open to God so that He can direct us where He wants us.

I’d like to add one thing in closing this out.  I could be mistaken for talking about myself too much, but my biggest hope is that someone else can see themselves in it and identify with it.  It’s my hope that what I say will help someone else.  Never give up in the midst of circumstance.  Take it as a challenge to overcome.  Be prayerful in it and God will draw you and Himself closer together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Abundant life, Christian, church, Dreams, Old Age, Patience, Ponderings, Sobering Thoughts, Spiritual, Spiritual Investments | Leave a comment

Broken

Posted on 2018/10/17 by JimR, Chaplain

I Cor 11:24
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Jesus spoke the words for his disciples and all of us to do as a way of remembering his sacrifice to the World.  The gift of His salvation through the beatings, condemnation, crucifixion and resurrection and finally His Ascension have re-established our rights as was those of the first Adam.  All we are required to do is to eat of Him, the Way, the Truth and the Life.  This, of course, in the natural is figurative, but spiritually of a truth.
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
There is no more sacrifice other than what He gave.  The sacrifice of His own body and blood are the final say in all things forward from that day.  The following reference for sacrifice speaks of a slain animal or as defined properly it states the victim or the act, which is a noun or verb.  But I want to use this coming verse in another facet of what God is looking for in us as His people.
Psalms 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
A broken spirit, a contrite heart.  Just what are we seeing here?  The word broken comes from the Hebrew  as defined as to burst (literally or figuratively):–break,  brokenhearted, bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, tear.
I’m drawn to the phrase “bring to birth”  We often speak of the impending birth of a child with the breaking of the water.  This water has to break before a birth can occur.  Is this a facet that can be applied to a broken spirit cannot be fully birthed until the water has broken that surrounded it during its incubation period?  I see in this the Holy Spirit surrounds us in our formative state prior to birth protecting us till the time we are ready to enter into the world spiritually.
Not only is the heart broken, but also contrite.  Contrite means to collapse (physically or mentally):- break (sore), contrite, crouch.  The Greek counterpart means to crush to pieces.
As a young man in my late twenties, after a year of depression, I found I had to seek God and a Kairos moment.  Kairos is a Greek word that describes a decisive moment or determined decision.  I didn’t know what that meant at that time, but I knew the gist of it.  One day I decided to fast for a week.  Not the kind of fast of no food, but a fast from outside influences.  One day of the seven I did a food fast, but the rest was from media of any kind.  All I did was pray, read the Bible and study what I read with whatever references I required.
At the end of this week long fast I was only able to attend the Sunday evening service since I was working 12/8 shift.  When the pastor finished up the message an altar call was made.  I’m not sure if this was the service or not, but I do remember I wanted to be sure of my salvation and step forward, but God spoke to me quite pointedly that I was indeed saved and why would I want to do that.  I held my place at my seat.  That likely came to mind that evening after fasting if not at the time this happened.  After church I had to go home and prepare for work.  I was feeling very unsettled in my heart for some reason.
On my way to work I got to the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge and a sudden horrific realization of the void inside me that seemingly had previously been filled by God was no longer there.  In time I realized this must have been what Jesus felt in fullness when He cried out upon the cross.

Matthew 27:46

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama  sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

For a moment as my car was upon the bridge I felt to attempt to run my car over the rail into the Cape Fear River, because the void was so real I could not imagine living the rest of my life without the presence of God in it.  I began to cry uncontrollably.  I managed to get to work.  I wiped my eyes as best I could and went in.  I felt I should go back home, so I went to my supervisor and told him I was not feeling well.  He took one look at me and said I did not look so good and I should go home.  I left.
I got home.  Put my car away in the garage.  My wife, at the time, came to see why I was back home.  She sat on the couch and I laid my head on her lap and cried uncontrollably once more.  After a bit she simply looked at me and said this was for me to figure out and she went back to bed and left me there.  After a bit more time had passed I knelt down in front of my couch, with my arms on the cushions and looked up to where I supposed God to be and started to pray, but instead words not of my own understanding came out of me.  My whole body became energized with the power of God like never before.  When it subsided a bit I rushed to the bedroom to tell my wife, but she was asleep and upon awakening she seemed so disconnected from what I was experiencing.  That didn’t lessen my experience, though.
This experience has the 20/20 hindsight of knowing that up till that time I was not broken.  My heart was in need of just the very thing described in Psalm 51.  My obedience to God to fast for a week brought me down.  I’ve never had a day since that I cannot speak to God or He to me and not feel I was not heard or could hear.
This is what you can have when you allow God to break you.   But you have to be willing.  I put my hands up like a criminal when he surrenders to the police.  I gave up my own will for His will.  I was broken.
But was that the end of the breaking?  No.
In my mid fifties, I can only describe then until I was sixtieth year as my mid-life crisis.  I went through separation, made bad decisions, and generally forgot who I was.  I remember sitting in the sound booth at church one evening as I was running sound for the service.  I looked out over the congregation and realized I didn’t feel I knew why I was there, but this I did know.  Once upon a time I was there to be, but I had come to a place where all I there for was to do.  I was basing my walk with God on what I could do for Him and all he wanted was for me to be.
I crashed shortly afterward.  Burnt completely out.  No more rhyme or reason for who I was.
I was not only separated from my wife at the time, but also from God.
Judges 7:19-25

19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

When we allow ourselves to become broken as the vessels seen in the reference verses above, we will see our enemies scattered and killed by their own hand.  We have nothing, but to allow God to act from that time on.

Allow for your breaking.  It is meant to be for your good.  The ensuing peace of God from that breaking will completely overwhelm you.  Fear will not grip you any longer.  Reverence to God will increase and you will come closer to your God.

 

Posted in Abundant life, Christian, church, Patience, Ponderings, Possibilities, Sobering Thoughts, Spiritual, Spiritual Investments | Leave a comment

Just Have Patience

Posted on 2018/09/28 by JimR, Chaplain

Earlier this week I filed for, I guess you call it, UIB. It’s unemployment benefits for folks out of work during the recovery after Flo. I can understand schools are going to be outPatience is a virtue copy for at least another week and that means bus drivers and others have also been out of work for a month, the end of next week.
I got a nice guy on the phone, after being on hold for over an hour. He filled out my claim for me and told me to make my check-in calls on Friday and next Tuesday and a form would be in the mail for me. Haven’t seen the form as yet, but I do really understand the situation. So, I’m patient.
Today I called as instructed and found the system has no record of my claim. So. I call and I’m told there is a 111 minute hold time or I can leave a call back. Call back comes a couple of hours later and puts me immediately on hold. After several minutes I get a nice lady, who informed me that the system went down for an upgrade on Tuesday and had just come back up this morning. Hence the reason I had not been able to sign on to my account on DES. While talking to her I found I was now able to log on. She explained to me the guy who helped me earlier had put my info in, but it still had to be keyed into the new system and I would have to call back Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. That’s okay with me.
I worked for the Fed for 28 years and I understand government processes work at a slug’s pace. I know I’ll get my benefit at some point, but I can understand some may not have the time to waste getting cash flow into their account. I’ve learned patience is a virtue and I have traveled a long rode obtaining that virtue.
I planted my seed for a benefit from being out of work. I equate that to a farmer sowing his crop. Sometimes seed takes time to come up, but when it does it will bear its fruit. I’ll have to deal with creditors to defer payments and perhaps get a disaster loan to tie us over till the crop comes in, but it’s not different than a farmer.
I remember my dad going to the bank and borrowing money with the promise to pay back in the fall when we sold our crops. It all worked out some way or other. Today’s world is not different in some ways as well. If you read this and need to have relief now, it may not come right now, but it will. All of us in the part of North Carolina know we live in hurricane alley.
I have to put a smile on my face, look at the good neighbors I have that helped save my house from a near fallen pine tree and count the blessings of God. I really do feel bad for my friends that have lost their homes to waters, whether from flooding or leakage.
One last thing. I sat on my couch this morning after Libby left for work and a burden came over me unlike normal. I like time with my little girls (dogs), so we nestled into place and I leaned back in the reclined position, closed my eyes and went into an unusually deep time of prayer for this area. It went on for quite some time until it lifted from me. I have felt peace not only for me, but all of you in my sphere. Starting out this little note or post I expressed the seeming never ending issues with my needs, but I’m sure there are those of you who have deeper issues and my heart is with you. I sincerely pray for your quick recovery. Just have patience.
Posted in Abundant life, Christian, Patience, Ponderings, Possibilities, Prayer, Spiritual Investments, Work | Leave a comment