Jesus is the King of Israel.
He came to save his people from their sins.
Who are his people? Israelites?
Israelites wrote the various books of the Bible.
Of the twelve apostles, only Paul was sent to the Gentiles.
Paul told Gentiles how to become Israelites.
Gentiles took Paul's works and assembled the Bible.
Then they created the Gentile Church, ... and scorned the name of Israel.
A single man with lots of things on his mind does not spend a lot of time on housework. Frankly, I like spiders. They keep all of the other bugs under control. God's Creation is amazing.
Cobwebs are easy to clean with a vacuum cleaner, but they always come back because there are always spiders. Cobwebs are sticky, and messy, and gross. They are disgusting.
So is evil.
...the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.”
So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.
In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!
They asked each other, “Who did this?”
When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”
The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”
But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.” (Judges 6:25-32 NIV)
What is this? Where is it? What does it mean? Why is it there?
I liked square dancing in Sixth Grade, but I wouldn't admit it.
There was the long, dark hair that swayed in the hallway in Seventh Grade.
There was also the Secret Admirer who was apparently in my Homemaking Class. (Yes, I took that, and the girls took Shop.) She and her friends put notes in my locker, teepeed my house, and repeatedly called our telephone, hanging up at all hours of the day and night, ...when my grandfather was on his death-bed in Iowa. My parents were not amused, nor was I. She eventually revealed herself and several years later we were both at the same house-party/kegger. We talked. She said that I must have hated her. I told her no, and that I forgave her.
There was my high-school crush that I never acted upon, but wish I had. Lesson learned.
There was the sister of one of my best friends. She demonstrated several times that she liked me, quite boldly in some ways. I believe she was my first kiss. When she was ready I was not; and when I was ready she was entertaining pursuit from others. We always seemed to be on different trajectories. She came to my parent's house on Christmas Day and she was beautiful. My girlfriend and eventual wife was also there, and that was the last time I saw her. Lesson learned.
There was the girl who was a new chemical engineer and had just moved to Midland. One of my volleyball buddies knew her and she needed help moving into her apartment, which was in the same complex as mine. I went to help, and she was really cute; and interesting. I went back. We liked to talk and I told her about my hometown. I asked her out, and we went to an outdoor concert. I asked her out again and we rode our bikes to Sanford Lake for the day. It was July 4th. We swam in the lake together, and then went to the fireworks that evening. We had ridden our bikes, so we were able to bypass the line of cars leaving the fairgrounds. Then we went back to my apartment, ...and she misunderstood my intentions. She left. I didn't call. She briefly saw me in the apartment complex and asked me where I had been. I was too embarrassed to pursue it, and had realized we really weren't right for each other. We were both engineers and were probably too much alike. Lessons learned.
There was the singer at my childhood friend's wedding. She had a gorgeous voice and sang some solos. As I watched her, I decided she was the one for me during that evening and that wedding. I don't recall anything about the situation, except that I drove her home to where she was staying, at the bride's parents' house. In the car, in the driveway, I accomplished my mission, and she liked it. She was really pretty. Lesson learned.
After my wife died, I spent eleven (11) months in isolation. I needed that time alone and had begun reading about things that led to me acquiring my Cooler Hat. I wanted to find someone in Midland who was also pursuing those things, and heard about a particular woman through someone my sister knew. She was going to hold an introductory teaching session at a particular place in the local mall. I put it on my wall calendar.
The day before the session, I needed to get some things at a store in the mall, and while I was there I realized I needed to find the location of the meeting. The mall was not doing very well financially and there were no directories of the various stores at the entrances, like there used to be. I had to wander around to search for the venue, and eventually stumbled upon the coffee shop I have mentioned numerous times on this blog.
12/8 --> 11; 12/8/2021 --> 16 --> 7
The next day, I arrived in time for the meeting at 1:30 PM and sat at a table by myself where I could assess the situation. I did not know who I was looking for, but there was a woman with a laptop and some books sitting in the back of the shop. I waited. Soon, a few more women showed up and joined her, and I concluded they were the group, but I decided to cancel my plan. She was teaching beginners and I did not want to disrupt her presentation by being a know-it-all and hijacking her agenda. Besides, I had been approached by another woman who was working as a volunteer barista in the coffee shop and we talked about my bereavement and some people we both knew.
Dec 8, 2021
Her shift was over at 2:00 PM, but she continued to talk with me for a bit. After she left, I noticed who had replaced her behind the counter. I talked with that woman, too.
The movie my wife and I watched after eating dessert at Ruthie's was Dan in Real Life. In that movie, one of Dan's adolescent daughters is in love, but he does not approve. He thinks she is too young and what she is experiencing is "not love." She passionately disagrees and rebels against his authority.
Okay, Dad, I ... I love Marty.
Oh, please...
Dad, Dad, .. Dad, Dad, stop. Will you just listen? I didn't know right away. It took me a while.
What's "a while?"
Well, I've known him for three weeks, but I knew in three days.
Three days?! You can't know in three days!
[Seventeen-year-old older sister]: Well, maybe she can.
No, no, no! What you're feeling is not love. It is young, ... and reckless, .. and not thought out.
I love him! I love him! I love him!
You may think it's love, .. but it is not.
I love him! I love him!
No, it's not!
I love him! I love him!
No, it's not!
I love him! I love him!
This "three days" is a theme throughout the movie.
Dan has been widowed for four years, and he meets Marie. After three days, Dan realizes he is in love with Marie. His girls tell him...
Then go get her.
I have watched that movie well over one hundred times.
Several days after my first visit to the coffee shop, my sister and brother-in-law, and their two dogs, visited and stayed at my house for two nights. Right after they left during the afternoon of Wednesday the 15th, I was strongly prompted to go back to the coffee shop. It was around 2 PM. I talked with the woman I had seen behind the counter and had never met anyone like her before. She wore her faith on her sleeve and spoke very openly about it. And, she was very pretty. My urgent question was, "Who are you??!"
I could tell she was definitely younger than me, but how much younger I did not
know. And she was not wearing a ring1, one of the first things I looked
for. I learned we have many things in common, the main thing being our faith. She told me she regularly worked there on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2 PM.
I went back for a third time on Friday and finally got to talk with her for three hours after closing time. I had to know more about her. No woman that pretty would remain unclaimed, and by the time we finished our discussion I had my answer.
One of the themes in my blog is the subject of remarriage after divorce, and it is motivated by this situation. Ever since that third encounter, I have known where I stand. I can be friends with this woman and can develop a deep relationship with her, but intimacy is off the table. The coffee shop is about developing deep relationships with people, and that is what this woman taught me to do. Even though she left Midland nearly eleven (11) months ago, I have continued to develop relationships with other people, both inside and outside the coffee shop, thanks to her.
It was through her friendship that I learned about personality types, which I have talked about on this blog. I am INTJ; she is INFP.2 I learned that from a blog she wrote years ago. She is like Amélie in the movie trailer, above.
My wife and I did not understand each other's personalities, but we loved each other and made it work. We were a powerful and effective team because we were different. My coffee shop friend and I have personality types that are "advisors" to each other. When I learned that, I was overjoyed because it explained everything. I have learned so much from her.
It should be apparent from reading this blog that I believe apparent "coincidences" are actually God's fingerprints as He leads us through our lives. I have learned this lesson by looking back at my experiences over the years. God makes known the end from the beginning. I watched Dan in Real Life repeatedly as I grieved in 2021, and the final line of the movie is...
Plan to be surprised.
I am still in love with my wife, and always will be, but God intends for me to move on. That is why there is a grieving process. I really, really, really, really, really, really, really liked being married. The "fringe benefits" are nice, but companionship is what I miss the most. My bride was older than me, and that had its risks and consequences. As an INTJ, I always think about the possibilities, and having a younger companion would certainly open up opportunities for excitement and adventure.
When I realized the Holy Spirit was pointing at this woman, I exclaimed, "Don't tease me!" He replied...
I don't tease.
She and I have had our disagreements and misunderstandings, but working through those things is a part of life. Lessons learned.
I believe God wants to use a relationship He is building between us to teach others about His intentions and standards concerning marriage and relationships between a man and a woman. I believe demonstrating a deep, loving and respectful relationship that does not involve marriage or intimacy can shine light into the darkness of our culture.
Like the Amélie character in the movie, I am using this blog, and Facebook, and any other means I can find to pursue my friend and lead her and teach her. The Spirit has told me many times...
If you want the girl, then lead the girl.
I was trying to do that with my wife, but He took her away. God's ways are not our ways.
All glory to God.
UPDATE, October 7, 2023...
UPDATE, October 8, 2023...
People do crazy things when...
I checked out the DVD from the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library through MeLCat, but decided I would like to have my own copy. I think I'm going to watch this movie a lot.
It's pretty pricey because the film has no overall worldwide distributor for Home Media. I got the last one. Hopefully, delivery will work out and the quality will be good.
UPDATE, October 10, 2023...
I have to add one other amazing "coincidence." My coffee shop friend arrived in Midland on the same day my wife and I went to the condominium in Antrim County (Ruthie's) and watched Dan in Real Life.
9/7 --> 16 --> 7; 9/7/2020 --> 20 --> 2 👥
You can't make this stuff up!
See why I like her? 😃
UPDATE, October 12, 2023...
This is used as the love theme in the movie.3 It may be a bit 🌽y, but I think the lyrics are particularly applicable to our situation. God is so hilarious! 🤣
UPDATE, October 24, 2023...
In the movie, the old man and Amélie develop a close relationship. He figures her out and gives her advice.
If my "Amélie" friend were to allow me to give her advice, I might start here:
1) Forgive. Always forgive. Jesus commands us to do it, no matter how difficult it may be.
2) Don't try to conform to the world. Be you. Amélie was the waitress, not the manager. She simply did her job and was free to pursue her idealistic dreams and passions.
3) You are rare. We are rare. Intuitives are rare, and the majority of people in the world do not understand us, but we understand each other. Embrace this.
4) Let others do what they do best, and cherish the gifts they bring.
At the risk of causing irritation by citing impersonal data, ...
INFP = Amélie (1 in every 23 people.)4
INTJ = me (1 in every 48 people.)
INFJ = my spiritual sibling (1 in every 67 people.)
As the chart shows, we are rare.
I am just amazed at how God orchestrates things, down to the finest detail.
UPDATE, October 25, 2023...
The One I am ultimately in love with is The LORD. He is the one who dumps all of the Four-Drachma Coins into my lap. He is the one who brought her to Midland in his precise timing. And He is the one she is in love with, too.
My spiritual sibling was very frustrated with me the other day, and she let me know it, but it led to teachable moments for us both. She was tired of hearing my ridiculous optimism and seeing the love in my eyes, and she tried to convince me that our mutual friend is not coming back. I heard her out, and then told her she does not know the future, nor do I, but I know who does. He will bring about what He is going to bring about, and I am content with that. We ended up loving one another more deeply than ever.
This season of bliss in my life comes during a time when the world seems to be falling apart, and I believe The LORD has given it to me as a gift. He is increasing my faith, and I am shouting it from the rooftops. That is one of the big reasons I have and maintain this blog. It allows me to express my joy and reread about all of the pearls He has scattered into my life. It allows me to hopefully communicate with people I love and those He graces with understanding.
UPDATE, October 26, 2023...
1 Added the link.
4 Added these descriptions of rarity.
UPDATE, October 28, 2023...
I was pleased to hear today one of my other coffee shop friends say they had read this post, and we had a nice discussion about it. In light of that, I am going to include some things here that I clarified with them.
The way I read the Bible...
A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:39 NIV)
Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Luke 16:18 NIV)
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26-31 NIV)
For me to pursue more than friendship with a divorced woman would put me into the "deliberately sinning" category, and I will not go there. I won't risk putting her into that kind of situation either.
So, I am safe. God is using me to make a point. Do I desire something more than just friendship? Sure, but it's irrelevant. I want to be her friend, her brother in Christ, like I am with my spiritual sibling. I want to help my "Amélie" friend grow spiritually, as we both build each other up. And I want to demonstrate to those who love Jesus what the real standard is, so they are not misled and deceived by what the world teaches.
This is actually part of my job, and I'm having so much fun doing it. 😊
And, just to make sure there are no misunderstandings, there is nothing sinful about leaving a marriage if it is an abusive or bad situation.
Rather than get into all of that, I highly recommend people listen to David Pawson's lectures about Remarriage After Divorce. It is very loving and thorough, and you can find it at his website here.5
Those who find themselves remarried after divorce when they come to faith, or learn that it is wrong, can ask Jesus what to do about their specific situations. God desires mercy, not sacrifice. Repentance requires us to put right what can be put right, but we don't want to make things worse. Nobody can put right everything they have done wrong. Again, Jesus will guide us, if we ask him.
Getting ourselves right with God is the first place to start. If you have not read my Apprentice of Jesus post, please do. I believe it will point you in the right direction.
Blessings.
UPDATE, October 29, 2023...
3 Added this statement to explain the corny video.
Adjusted footnotes to keep the footnote subjects (red) in order.
UPDATE, November 4, 2023...
This video analyzes the personality of Amélie Poulain6...
"Amélie is a child at heart."
Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3 NIV)
...something I aspire to be like. My analytical, logical mind needs to have the faith of a child, which is what I try to do. She does this naturally.
Dan Burns from Dan in Real Life...
What is it? That it's frustrating that you can't be with this person? That, ..that, ..there's something keeping you apart? That there's something about this person you really connect with? [Cut to Marie overhearing this in the other room.] And whenever you're near this person, you don't know what to say, and you say everything that's in your mind and in your heart! And you know, that if you could just be together, that this person would help you become the best possible version of yourself!
Studying Amélie helps me become the best possible version of myself, and spending time with a real, live "Amélie" is even better.
See why I like her? 😃
YouTube keeps offering related videos, and this one is very interesting from a film-making perspective, which is something I am interested in. It is called Why Amélie is so Weird. (... meaning the movie, not the character.)
UPDATE, November 8, 2023...
6 This analysis mentions criticisms made against the movie for its perceived "lack of diversity," but the whole point of the movie is to depict Amélie's idealistic world. She lives in a dream, not reality, and that's okay. We get to enter into that dream for two hours and two minutes to escape our burdens, and this is one of the reasons I love my friend. She provides me that escape and helps me not always be so serious.
Boneheads who make those kinds of criticisms are just exhibiting their own judgmental biases and programming, and are simply worth ignoring.
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. (Matthew 24:6 NIV)
She helps me not be alarmed. 😊
7 ...while I desire to protect my friend and help her be successful. 😉
The Father has brought us together for His good and perfect reasons, and He does not make mistakes. He has us both strategically positioned and prepared. The Darkness has been trying to keep us apart, ...but it will ultimately fail.
Hence, my "ridiculous optimism." 🤣
UPDATE, November 10, 2023...
7 Added the additional statements.
UPDATE, November 20, 2023...
5 The link to the webpage with the audio files I listened to seems to be missing or broken. I am leaving it here in case it becomes available again.
Here is a link to Individual Messages about divorce and remarriage. I do not believe I have listened to these, but am sure the content is similar.
Here is a link to the webpage highlighting his book, Remarriage is Adultery Unless....
Adjusted footnotes to keep the footnote subjects (red) in order.
UPDATE, November 21, 2023...
2 Added the link.
Adjusted footnotes to keep the footnote subjects (red) in order.
UPDATE, February 18, 2024...
Sometimes it is necessary to be blunt and direct.
When I listened to David Pawson's lectures about Remarriage After Divorce, I made note of the Scripture references he discussed. I am going to list them here in the order he presented them. The "red letters" are the words attributed to Jesus.
Luke 16:18 Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Luke 16:18 NIV)
Mark 10:2-12 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”
“What did Moses command you?” he replied.
They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”
“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” (Mark 10:2-12 NIV)
Matthew 5:31-32 It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:31-32 NIV 2011)
This is the "one exception," meaning Jesus uses words translated as: "except."
Here is the previous version of the NIV translation, which was the version Pawson used when he gave his lectures. (I would listen to confirm this, but that recording seems to be gone, as I stated, above.) ...
It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:31-32 NIV 1984)
You can read other translations of the second part here: Matthew 5:32.
Pawson points out this "one exception" has been interpreted very widely by many to justify remarriage after divorce. Some Bible translations even seem to do this.
That current NIV version, above, is illogical. If the woman is being divorced because she sinned through "sexual immorality," how is she a "victim" of adultery? It does not make any sense. If he divorces her because he wants to commit sexual immorality himself, that is not an exception, it is simply his sinful behavior. In that case, she is a victim of his behavior, but that is not what Jesus is saying here and he is not giving her license to abandon her covenant with her husband just because he did.
These interpretations are not consistent with all of the other places in Scripture where Jesus plainly and clearly established his expectations.
That older NIV translation presumes the woman will remarry just to survive, and therefore be forced to live as an adulteress, and if she is being divorced because she had been unfaithful she would already be an adulteress. It is logically consistent.
Matthew 19:3-12 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”
Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”
Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.” (Matthew 19:3-12 NIV)
This one also has the "exception," and the reason for the divorce is even more vague, but the part about marrying another woman is definite. It is called polygamy. Pawson calls remarriage after divorce "consecutive polygamy." As many spouses as you like, just one at at time.
Paul said these things about the topic...
Romans 7:1-3 Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man. (Romans 7:1-3 NIV)
1 Corinthians 7:39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:39 NIV)
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. (1 Corinthians 7:10-11 NIV)
He also said these things, which are related...
1 Corinthians 7:12-16 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? (1 Corinthians 7:12-16 NIV)
1 Corinthians 7:28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. (1 Corinthians 7:28 NIV)
I am nobody's judge; Jesus is the judge, and these are his criteria.
If people ignore these words, they risk standing before Jesus in defiance of him.
If I know about these teachings, yet say nothing to those those who flaunt them while claiming to follow Jesus, then I risk his condemnation for not doing my job.
Jesus does not want to make us happy. He wants to save us from our sins.
To be saved, we must repent and be holy. There are no "tickets to heaven."
"Marriage licenses," and their corresponding divorce proceedings, are Sea Jurisdiction, legal contracts and have nothing to do with biblical, Land-Jurisdiction marriages. I discussed this in the December 5, 2022 update of my Submission post.
UPDATE, February 19, 2024...
Encouraging a lamb to wander the hills is cruel.
Pulchritude is fleeting.
If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.
We believe those we do not know, and hate those who love us.
If a blind woman leads a blind woman, both will end up in the ditch.
Those who claim to know will be held to account.
Those who believe the ones they trust are innocent.
Love always trusts.
Presuming to know without investigating the facts leads to error.
A butterfly is beautiful in its season, but dies alone.
Cultivating deep relationships and then abandoning them is cruel.
Yearning for the ideal in an imperfect world leads to discouragement.
The answer is right in front of you.
These things are common sense.
UPDATE, March 31, 2024...
The Spirit has counseled me more about this situation.
My Amélie friend was under a great deal of stress in the coffee shop. Her personality inspired and drove her to love people, and those people loved her in return, so much so that it overwhelmed her. She always said she needed her personal time at home, and I'm sure it was because she needed to get away from all of the pressure.
She had spent most of her life in relatively populated areas, which meant she was always around a lot of people. Now she is living in a relatively rural area, which means the number of people she has to deal with are far fewer. She can give them the love she longs to give without being overwhelmed herself. This is obviously a good thing.
She worked out the "contract" she had made with God by staying in Midland the two years she had planned in order to learn what she needed to learn. Then she got to escape to the solitude of her dreams. That is why she was always talking about it.
She has also met a man she wants to marry, and I am glad. Part of my concern for her had been she was living in the world as a lone woman, and given what I know about what is going on in the world, in general, it concerned me, but I was confident God was watching out for her, and it looks like he has. She needs a man to love and protect her.
She deserves to be happy.
I now believe God did not actually want her to know what I know about remarriage after divorce. Jesus is the only one who actually lived a perfect life. We can't, so he did it for us.
As I move on with my life, God will be able to use my testimony about this subject to influence those he wants to influence. I am so grateful for the grace of knowing my Amélie friend, and what The Spirit has taught me through her.
The Greek word is ἐκκλησία; transliteration: ekklésia; pronounced: (ek-klay-see'-ah).
Almost all English translations render this word as "church," which has different etymology. It comes from the Old English word cirice or circe, which looks a lot like the English word "circle," which has some dark connotations we won't explore here.
The Old Testament had "assemblies," too, and the Hebrew word קָהָל ; transliteration: qahal; pronounced: (kaw-hawl') is one of the words used.
Paul wrote to assemblies of Yehoshua-believing Israelites in Ephesus, Corinth, Philippi and elsewhere. The Book of Revelation addressed seven assemblies through "messengers." Roughly 2000 years have passed since those documents were written. Do those assemblies still exist and survive?
Because people sin and do not follow the example Yehoshua taught us. Paul and Peter saw it coming.
Many people fled the monarchies of Europe and brought their Bibles to the New World, but they retained Babylon in the form of the institutional church. Americans established assemblies to govern themselves as they revolted against the British monarch, but in hindsight it appears that same monarch used the opportunity to shirk obligations he had agreed to with Native Americans by having his cousin, George Washington, arrange for a war. The Americans won their freedom on the Land and Soil, but the British monarch and the Popes retained control of Sea and Air Jurisdictions, and a half century later re-took control by guile through the mercenary conflict known as the American Civil War. I have discussed those things elsewhere on this blog.
Americans are trying to reconstruct the Land and Soil Jurisdiction assemblies that operated 160 years ago, and I hope they succeed. I am trying to help make that happen, but I am concerned. The same conditions that resulted in the disappearance of the New Testament assemblies and the American assemblies remain, and unless people realize and implement the necessary "Margin of Victory," they will be defeated again.
That margin of victory is doing things God's way. It is recognizing lies so we can recognize our sins and repent. It is putting ourselves under the authority of Yehoshua, who has been given all Authority in heaven and on earth.
What I am seeing is not good. I see selfishness and pride distracting and diverting people from the necessary tasks that must be done. I see emotions trumping logic and foolishness disrespecting wisdom. I see fanciful rumors and wishful thinking building castles of sand that will be washed away by the inundation of reality.
I am feeling a bit like Elijah in the cave, but know God is in control and will bring about what He intends. I remain with Him and pray He will do what is right, as He always does.
All glory to God.
UPDATE, November 1, 2023...
Paul described what some call "the five-fold ministry" for building up a biblical assembly...
And He Himself gave some as apostles, and others as prophets, and others as evangelists, and others as shepherds and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building-up of the body of Christ... (Ephesians 4:11-12 DLNT)
If the American assemblies were modeled after biblical assemblies, then it makes sense these roles should be applicable and necessary for reconstructing land and soil assemblies today. How might that work?
Back then, apostles were sent out as messengers in times of war. They were expendable, and I believe that is why Yehoshua told his twelve guys they would suffer and die. As we reconstruct the michigan assemblies, we will need to send messengers to each of the counties to demonstrate authority and introduce the concepts of American land and soil government. This would necessarily include giving prior written notice to the "defacto" county governments about our intentions, and then going to them and peacefully explaining the facts and what must be done.
Prophets are coordinators who live on each of the counties and make sure the assemblies are being properly populated and constructed. They obtain and are given necessary insight, and have the skills to guide and encourage people while resisting the temptation to do the work themselves. The people must do their own work.
Evangelists are those who do "outreach" to introduce concepts such as jurisdictions, the various frauds that are in play, and the need to reconstruct the Land and Soil governments to avoid losing their sovereignty and their soil to foreign interests.
Shepherds are ombudsmen and advocates for the weak on each county.
Teachers are those who live on each county and ensure all ages of people have access to information and necessary materials for learning to live privately on the Soil of their county. People learn in different ways and at different rates and those who are teaching must recognize this.
These are all divinely inspired roles, and if we embrace them I believe we will be successful. What we call them does not matter, but they are all necessary.
Here is a good discussion about "the five-fold ministry"...
(Running time: 3:22)
An important point in this video is how "teaching" has taken over the modern church. We think if we have enough teaching we will be successful, but we need all five roles.
I am seeing the same thing in The Michigan Assembly. All of the emphasis is on teaching and learning, but nobody is actually doing anything. Experience is the best way to learn, and that is what apprenticeship is all about; that is how Yehoshua taught his guys.
Will we make mistakes? Of course, but we learn from our mistakes. That is why we hire people with experience, and why we hire professionals to fix our car and wire our house. They have already made mistakes and learned, so mistakes aren't made on our car and our house does not burn down.
If all we ever do is study, study, study, study, study..., we will never get anything done and we won't get to learn from our mistakes. Our education system has indoctrinated us into this, and former public school teachers are probably not really the people we want doing the teaching in our assemblies, bless their hearts.
I see the reconstruction of these Land and Soil assemblies as metaphors to help us comprehend how to follow Yehoshua as he builds His Kingdom in this present age. God uses the things of this world we can see to help us understand the things we cannot see.
I was prompted to walk to the coffee shop yesterday. I thought about driving because the weather forecast had a slight chance of showers and I could see a few on the radar, but the instruction was specific so I was obedient and walked.
It takes me about an hour to walk from my house to the coffee shop. When I got there, I was offered a chair across a small table from the leader of the "non-profit" coffee-shop business. She and another woman were playing Skip-Bo™️, a popular card game in the shop. I sat and watched until they finished and then had them deal me into the next game.
I listened to the conversation and observed what was going on in the room. The leader occasionally got up to serve customers because it was her usual shift, and when she did so the other player and I skipped her turn to keep the game moving. That is why it is called "skip bo," of course! Even with frequently being skipped, she had won all of the games.
There was an empty seat at the table which was successively occupied by one of two "special needs" young men who were visiting the shop with their "staff." These people have significant handicaps and are supported by the Welfare State. Part of that support includes regular escort by a paid employee of a State-of-State franchise corporation who takes them out to socialize and assists them with their day-to-day needs. Everyone refers to this help as "staff," and there were several people in the shop with staff at that time.
I have seen "special needs" people frequenting the coffee shop ever since I started going there almost two years ago. The drinks are free and the people are kind, so the "staff" commonly use it as a good destination to spend time with their charges. My spiritual sibling has "staff." I immediately realized the Father was bringing these people into the coffee shop and each one was an opportunity for healing and glorification of the Name of Jesus.
My spiritual sibling wanted to be healed. After getting to know her and showing her examples of healing in the Bible, she came up to me, stuck out her hand, and said, "It's a deal!" I replied, "I guess this is happening!" and off we went to a couch and I began praying for her to be healed. Things started happening and people were amazed. I was, too, because I had not done it very much and was pushing outside of my 'comfort zone.'
We prayed for her to walk, just like Jesus did, and we were both very determined. I am a trouble-shooter and if things are not working I try something else. Soon, I was using my prayer language because I did not know what was needed, ... and it worked. Between the two of us, my spiritual sibling and I worked to free her from many things, but she did not walk. For some reason that was blocked from happening, and it still is.
As I used my prayer language, I came under attack.1 One day as I prayed, I had an unusual headache that almost made me sick. People in the shop prayed for me, but I did not get relief until I had gone home and laid it in front of Yeshua, who was sitting right next to The Father. I sneezed four times and then the headache was gone. God is good.
Many people in the coffee shop started to become uncomfortable with what we were doing. That is not surprising because the denomination of the particular church sponsoring the coffee shop does not teach about 'Pentecostal' kinds of things. The non-churched people did not comprehend what we were doing, but some of the churched people became hostile. I was asked to stop, and I immediately complied.
At the time, the coffee shop leader had been out of the country on a mission trip and when she came back I was told she had received complaints about what I had been doing. Even though I was no longer doing it, I was reprimanded. "Stop trying to cast demons out of [my spiritual sibling]!" We had proven to ourselves that there was a demon tormenting her because ... it spoke. Twice. My sibling did not say those things.
My spiritual sibling is very outspoken, and when people tried to tell her she did not have demons, she would reply, "I only have one." I became a pariah for doing this, and am apparently still one according to some people by the way they treat me. That's okay; it is part of the battle.
When I was reprimanded (on the day before Good Friday, of all things!), I ended the discussion by saying, "We're done," and turned to leave the establishment. As I was about to 'wipe the dust off my feet,' I was reminded of my spiritual sibling who had temporarily left the coffee shop while I was having my 'meeting' with the leaders. When she came back, I was gone. She became very upset because the two people she loved the most in the coffee shop (me and one of the other leaders) were fighting. She ended up being the catalyst to bring us back together.
Even though I had stopped using my prayer language, I continued to read to my sibling from the Bible during subsequent visits to the shop. She had never heard those things before and was fascinated. Soon, I began hearing criticism about even doing that! Apparently they "did not know what I was teaching her" in their shop and we started being pressured to cease what we were doing. We decided to leave and take our discussions down the hall.
The coffee shop is part of an indoor mall, which is comfortable year round in four-season Michigan. We found a bench in the common area away from the shop and met together there for more than a month. I continued to pray for her using my prayer language and we made even more progress, but she remained unable to walk and in the power chair.
Some of the people who frequent the coffee shop are 'mall walkers' who get exercise by walking circuits around the perimeter of the common areas. They, of course, saw us and would occasionally stop and talk with us. So would the housekeeping staff, and other people who knew us. It became common knowledge that we were consistently there and having a great time. God's ways are not our ways, and I was overjoyed to be used by Him.
I was able to help my sibling with many things, and eventually we realized we are spiritual brother and sister. I am her big brother, and in some ways have been able to give her fatherly advice. She is on good terms with her dad, but I have more insight into the spiritual matters she needs right now.
We eventually got to the point where things had significantly improved for her, but she was still unable to walk and still had her speech impediment, the two things that are most visible to people. Her "friend" was still there, and it was still tormenting her. I told her the next thing to try was baptism in water, and I pointed out that the church sponsoring the coffee shop does immersion baptisms. With my encouragement, she went and asked to be baptized, and they did it for her.
What a difference that made! She went from being tormented to being almost completely free. She said that her friend was still there, but it was like it was hiding. Her frantic, emotional text messages to me and her dark Facebook posts ceased. God is good. We moved on to other things to improve her life.
People have acknowledged that my efforts have greatly helped her, and as of the 15th of Nisan this year, she has been much more independent from me, although we still mutually crave and enjoy what we call "sibling time." This has freed me up to work with other people, and those efforts have been noticed, too.
Which brings me back to the card game yesterday. I was there because I had the time, and because The Holy Spirit had led me to go. I made further observations as we played...
Someone came over and started talking about getting tattoos. The two women I was playing with mentioned the typical side effects of that practice, such as inflamed skin, pain, and the time required for healing. They were all very matter-of-fact about it and seemed to consider tattooing mainstream, which it is these days. Apparently, they are not aware the practice of tattooing is something God forbade the Israelites from doing (Leviticus 19:28). The leader of the coffee shop business has a big tattoo on her right arm.
The leader of the coffee shop is leaving today with her husband for a vacation overseas. She 'checked in' to their flights on her phone as we played our game.
The leader of the coffee shop lives with her husband in the parsonage of the church she preaches at. It is in a small town, and there is a well that provides both the church and their home with water. For some reason, they have no water, and she was making inquiries about getting it fixed.
As we got near the end of our final Skip-Bo game, both women said it would be their last because they each had things they needed to do. I took that as my cue to head home and got up to leave when we were done. The leader answered someone's question about the time difference where she was going, and I related that when we lived overseas our small children had a hard time with that. I wished her a good trip, and she thanked me for coming in. I think it surprised her that I had spent time with her.
As I walked home, I chuckled. I had all of a sudden won that final game. God has an interesting sense of humor.
This morning, The Spirit debriefed me about the reasons for my walk to the mall yesterday. That is His pattern, letting me know just before I get out of bed what He wants me to do during the day.
The people running the coffee shop just do not see what is plainly there. Opportunities to heal people in the Name of Jesus are everywhere,2 but people just serve coffee and play cards. Two of those opportunities sat at the table with us while we played the game yesterday, as I mentioned above.
Before I finished this post today, I needed a photo of the card game, so I went to the coffee shop and ended up indirectly talking about these things with someone who is beginning to have some of the same concerns I have. We agreed the leadership is stuck in their box and does not see the opportunities the LORD is creating, and we agreed we need to continue praying for these folks and helping them understand the real game we should be playing.
I hope the people I care about will soon realize what their true job is: to glorify the Name of Jesus by performing miracles so people will be receptive to the full and complete Good News, so that they might repent and praise our Father in Heaven.
All glory to God.
UPDATE, September 27, 2023...
Putting it another way, Jesus did not say:
"Go and serve coffee to all nations, serving only the finest beans from remote parts of the world, and teaching them everything except what I commanded you.3 And surely I am with you always, no matter what you do."
Think about it.
UPDATE, September 28, 2023...
1Added the meme I made.
2Why do people not see these opportunities? Frankly, I think it is because they do not believe it is possible for average, everyday people to do miracles. They think it is only for Jesus to do, and they put their faith in doctors instead. This is all based on lies and does not line up with The Book.
I used to think that way, too. I did not believe. Jesus said:
"...Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:16-18 NIV)
And...
“Unless you people see signs and wonders, ... you will never believe.” (John 4:48 NIV)
It is crucial for people to see miracles, or they will never really believe. They may notionally believe some things about Jesus, but they do not really and truly believe.
We must believe like a child:
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." ... (Matthew 18:3 NIV)
The coffee shop is operated as a corporation, too, and when I started to demonstrate what can and should be done I came under attack and was eventually driven out and controlled by those who are being used as tools of the Darkness.
Is there hope for these people? I always have hope, and when things don't pan out I hope some more, but it can get discouraging. Saying that, God is faithful and I work for Him. He is going to do what he intends. He is righteous, even if we are not.
He is developing my faith.
UPDATE, November 1, 2023...
I had a stressful day yesterday, and late in the afternoon I wanted to spend some time at the coffee shop to unwind.
When I arrived at the mall, the parking lot was pretty full. "What's this?" I thought. Then I remembered... Trick Or Treat. It was Halloween.
The mall was full of parents with kids in costumes lining up at the various stores getting "treats," commercially-available candy. The coffee shop had extra volunteer staff handing them out, too, along with free coffee for the parents. I waded through all of this and made my way to the back of the shop to visit with friends.
As the time period for the festivities wound down, the coffee shop volunteers cleaned up in preparation to close. They were exhausted.
This morning, I had some thoughts about this. I am sure the folks serving the crowds for the coffee shop saw themselves as loving their neighbor, and I actually saw one of them wearing something that said something like that. I'm sure it was fun, but was it really what Yehoshua wants us to do?
Some of the people probably noticed the coffee was free, but that would have been the only difference distinguishing the coffee shop from any of the other businesses handing out candy in the mall. Actually, what is the difference between handing out free candy and free coffee? Hmmm. 🤔
Did this really do anything to advance Yehoshua's cause, especially given all of the effort involved? Was it actually "loving the neighbors," as He described it in his parable about The Good Samaritan? Or was it conforming to the world?
The world indoctrinates children through traditions like "Trick Or Treat." That lesson seems to teach: Disguise yourself, chant some mantra, and you will be rewarded. I was indoctrinated in that same way as a child and later realized what was going on, but only after I had learned The Truth and came under its influence.
3 Added this link to a new post I made today about Yehoshua's commandments. Ever since I made that update about His non-existent words, I have been thinking about His commandments. I felt it was important to study them and share what I have learned.
After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
“Yes, he does,” he replied.
When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”
“From others,” Peter answered.
“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” (Matthew 17:24-27 NIV)
When I refer to "four-drachma coins," I am talking about miracles. Are we seeing miracles happen in our lives? Miracles are signs from Heaven. Jesus performed miracles, and they were his credentials from The Father. If we are doing the things that Jesus did by following the Holy Spirit, we should be seeing miracles, too. It tells us we are 'on the right track.'
Those who do not believe or who do not have the right heart and attitude will not see these things.
“A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” ... (Matthew 12:39; also 16:4 NIV)
Those who do not respond to miracles by repenting will be held accountable.
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” ... (Matthew 11:21; also Luke 10:13 NIV)
And, Jesus was not honored in his hometown.
Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. ...
And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. (Matthew 13:54-58 NIV)
As I have learned to do the things Jesus did, I have found most people do not see those things and do not understand me. Some people even become hostile and take offense, but I have come to terms that this is a spiritual truth and I cannot do anything about it. If Jesus had these problems, so will I.
My hope and prayer is that those I love here in my own town and my own home will eventually understand, and that God will send others to witness to them. They are not going to listen to me.
This is why I have included on my blog the name and location of the town where I live. I am confident people in other parts of the world are more likely to listen to me, and I have seen evidence of this.
I suspect Wisdom has orchestrated this aspect of the spiritual battle for my overall benefit and protection. It allows me to try things and learn without attracting a lot of overt push-back from the Darkness. It allows me to make mistakes while I learn to be patient with people.
This reminds me, once again, of the 'volleyball metaphor.' My college friend and I worked hard on our own to develop our neophyte volleyball skills, until we were ready to go play with the Volleyball Club.
I expect one day I will go someplace else to practice what my Master has been teaching me, but right now I am called to be in my home town. I must honor my mother and help her in her sunset years, and her situation has dictated where I must live. There are also many other 'signs' that show me I am right where I am supposed to be.
It is the oldest one in The Book and it is still around, because it works.
The armor of the Darkness is lies. I discussed that in a previous post. If we take away the armor, then we can "rob the house." We must recognize lies and confront them so people can recognize their sins and perhaps repent.
I have been frequenting a particular coffee shop and have talked about it in updates to my Worship and Pattern posts. It is a big part of my life right now because it is where The Spirit has me working.
The coffee shop is mainly run by women, and it is women who I mostly get to talk with. That's fine, but where are the men? I crave talking to anyone about spiritual matters, and it is men who I really want to talk with. Iron sharpens iron, and there are a lot of dull blades in the shed.
I am going to be frank about my job. At the risk of exalting myself, my job is to say, "You have sin in your life; and this is the direction we have to go." I try to do that as lovingly as I can, and with discernment, but sometimes bluntness is necessary. Go read Matthew 23 if you are in doubt.
The lie I am talking about is women can be in authority over men, and Jesus is okay with that. It is a lie permeating our culture like tendrils of a disgusting fungus in our refrigerator. It is everywhere, and we don't even notice it.
The Book is clear about this from start to finish, but many people take bits and pieces out of context to justify the lie. In some cases, they don't even get their notions from The Book. I have heard women mention "the unconditional love of God" many times in the coffee shop, but that adjective does not appear anywhere in Scripture.
Paul was very clear about it in 1 Timothy 2:12, and he had good reasons...
I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. (NIV)
I care deeply about the people I have gotten to know in the coffee shop, and it grieves me to see what I see:
Women teaching men.
Women leading "seekers" astray with erroneous and incomplete "gospels."
Women censoring what men can say and do.
Women acting as though men are not necessary and are irrelevant.
Women who are afraid of men.
Women disrespecting men.
Women running everything.
Women who have divorced at least once.
I do not see men leading people in the coffee shop, and believe it is because:
Men are working for corporations as SLAVES.
Men are in their garage or in their "man cave."
Men are watching sports.
Men are in the woods hunting, or getting ready to be in the woods hunting (or fishing).
Men are too sick and disabled to do much of anything.
And this is what I see the church doing:
Operating as a corporation.
Promoting derivative books, pamphlets and programs that displace public reading of Holy Scripture.
Supporting the coffee shop financially, but being almost entirely absent from any meaningful discussions.
Using the coffee shop as a meeting place for their religious club cliques.
Promoting "following Jesus" as accepting and "loving" everyone without eventually sharing actual Truth.
Closing shop on Sundays so they can go meet in their clubhouses.
I am grateful for the coffee shop, and I know the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is responsible for its continuing existence. It will be there as long as He wants it to be there. And so will I. This is a season.
I am looking for people who want to actually do what is in The Book. I am looking for people who will listen to me and take me seriously, who want to see The Kingdom and actually do the work Jesus has called us to do, and that he is desperate for us to do. I want to see people healed and set free. I want to see people full of joy that the Bible is real, that miracles are real, and that Jesus is real.
We cannot do those things if we believe the lie. If we do, we will continue to wallow in sin, ... until we die.
All glory to God.
UPDATE, September 22, 2023...
The Darkness promotes other lies, such as confusion about "gender." The Book says...
Of course, we should have compassion for people who are deceived about this, but validating that deception by trying to justify it with bits and pieces of The Book is just reinforcing the lie.
The Holy Spirit will help us help people, if we actually have Him and if we are listening to Him.
UPDATE, September 24, 2023...
One of my managers told me a humorous story. There was a guy who got a new job, and when he showed up at his new office he found his predecessor had left a note and three envelopes in the desk. The note said, "When things get difficult, open an envelope." Each envelope was numbered: 1, 2 and 3.
The guy smirked and thought, "Ah, I'm not going to have any trouble."
And he didn't. At first. About six months into the job, however, he started to realize there was more to it than he had anticipated. He remembered the envelopes, opened the drawer and took out the one labeled "1." He opened it.
Inside was a single piece of paper, and on it was written, "Blame your predecessor." So, he did. He blamed his predecessor for all the things that were not going right, and things got better. For a while.
About six months later, he decided to open the second envelope. It said, "Reorganize."
So, he hired some consultants and they helped him to reorganize his department. And things got better. People were happy and productive, and he received a decent job performance review from his boss.
But, eventually things started to become difficult again. He remembered the third envelope. When he opened it up, it said, "Make three new envelopes."
My manager and I laughed, and he pointed out in the business world there are few things we can do to improve our circumstances. Reorganization is something visible that people can see, and it can improve things if the previous organization was poor, but for the most part it is simply a way to take the attention off of our problems and distract everyone with excitement. If the fundamentals aren't there, a new organization is not going to fix anything.
I have a friend who is passionate about their faith, and they left Michigan to pursue their calling. They care deeply about people and have been working very hard to help those they care about in their community. I share their empathy about the topic and would like to help, but my friend is doing things their way.
I wrote the previous update to this post two days ago, and I used the word "compassion" in what I wrote. Later that day, I noticed my friend had just renamed their business with the word "compassion" in it. As I woke up the following morning, I realized this apparent coincidence was a 'four-drachma coin.' I smiled, and wished I could share this experience with my friend, but they are not talking to me right now. I believe it has to do with what I discussed in the post I wrote today.
I pray the LORD will allow my friend to eventually understand me and let me help. It would be so much fun. 😊
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