The Judgment of Egypt And The First Passover

Each year, around Easter, the Jewish people celebrate the passover. This story goes back to when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt.

God had taken Abraham out of his country and promised him the land of Canaan. Four generations later, his descendants went to live in Egypt to escape a famine. 

After some time had passed, the Assyrians had taken control of Egypt and were reigning as Pharaoh.

Isaiah 52:4- For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

The Assyrians enslaved the Jewish people, and even went so far as to kill all their baby boys.

Exodus 1:11, 14, 22- Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

Through Moses, a child saved from the death decree, God sent plagues to judge the Egyptians. Each plague was to prove to both the Egyptians and the Israelites that the Lord God Almighty was more powerful than those Egyptian false gods, which was impressive since Egypt had a complex pantheon of deities and they were all rendered powerless by the God of the Hebrews through just 10 plagues.

Exodus 12:12- For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

• Plague 1- the Nile is turned to blood 
• Plague 2- Frogs came up and covered the land
• Plague 3- the dust of the ground became lice- This was also the first plague that the demonic magicians couldn't replicate, and this proved that the Lord God Almighty is the God of the creation of life. 
• Plague 4- swarms of flies swept across the land- This plague was the first that didn't affect the Israelites. God was showing that not only was He able to send these wonders, but He was also able to control where they manifested and on whom they preyed.
• Plague 5- the infectious disease of cattle
• Plague 6- the outbreak of boils on both human and animal
• Plague 7- the tempest of hail and fire
• Plague 8- the swarm of locusts which devoured the crops
• Plague 9- the darkness which could be felt
• Plague 10- the death of the firstborn

Here are some of the most prominent Egyptian gods and their descriptions:

• Sobek, the lord of the crocodiles and the creator of the Nile
• Khnum, the god of fertility, water, and procreation (Egyptians also believed that he could prevent famine)
• Nun and Naunet, the Egyptian creation gods of water and chaos
• Heh and Hauhet, gods of infinity or eternity
• Amun and Amaunet, the Egyptian creation gods of unseen forces
• Thoth and Seshat, the gods of writing and books, wisdom, knowledge of magic, and secrets
• Ptah, the Egyptian god who created all other gods in some stories; the god of craftsmen
• Sekmet, the goddess of war and healing
• Kheper,i the god of flies and beetles and the renewing of life
• Horus, the god of healing and protection, kingship, the sun and sky
• Hathor, the goddess of love, fertility, beauty, dancing, music, maternity, 
• and protection
• Bastet (also known as Nefertum), the goddess warding against evil and misfortune, home, fertility, and childbirth
• Heka, the god of health and medicine, creator of magic
• Set, the Egyptian god of chaos, violence, storms, disorder, warfare, and the desert
• Shu and Tefnut, the Egyptian gods of the air and moisture
• Min, the god of harvest and fertility
• Khonsu, the moon god that protected travelers
• Geb and Nut, the Egyptian gods of earth and sky
• Horus, the sky god, protection, kingship, and healing
• Mut, the mother goddess known to the Egyptians as the Queen of heaven
• Amun-Re, the Egyptian creation god of the sun and air (combination of Amun and Ra)
• Kek and Kauket, the Egyptian creation gods of darkness
• Atum, the Egyptian creator god of the creation of the universe
• Osiris, the lord of the underworld and judge of the dead, also god of fertility, agriculture, and vegetation
• Isis, the goddess of resurrection, healing, protection, and magic
• Anubis, the principle god of the dead, mummification, funerary rites, guardian of tombs, and guide to the afterlife

As you can see, some of these false gods could be judged by many of these plagues.

Psalm 82:1- God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.

Psalm 86:8- Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.

Psalm 96:5- For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

The judgment of the Egyptian gods was the first purpose of the plagues. The second was to show the Jewish people that He was the God of their father and that He could do what He promised to do.

The Passover, however, is something very special that points to a future event. It's one of the reasons Jesus had to rebuke the religious leaders of His day. He told them, "Moses wrote of me", but they stopped reading the Scriptures long ago and instead read commentaries and traditions written by rabbis of the past.

The tenth plague, the death of the first-born, was against all who wouldn't obey the Lord God Almighty. Just being of Jewish descent was not a guaranteed protection from this judgment. It was setting a precedent for the ages. 

Exodus 12:3,5-8,12-13- Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

The only way to escape this was to obey God's command to sacrifice an innocent lamb and put the blood on the doorposts, then get inside the house and stay there. Whoever had the blood on the door was safe from the death angels.

Psalm 78:49-51- He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them. He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

When the plague started, those angels didn't look inside the house to see whether those therein were worthy. They only looked for the blood. Once they saw that blood had already been spilled at that house, they passed over that home and went to the next.

What does that mean for us? Let's look at the instructions.

The people were to take a perfect lamb, one with no blemish whatsoever.

Hebrews 4:15- For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus was the sinless lamb of God, and because He was sinless, He was the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Next, the whole congregation was to kill it.

Matthew 27:1-2, 22- When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

After the lamb was killed, they were to take the blood and strike it on the top and on each side of the door of their house.

Mark 15:27- And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.

 

Then they went inside the house and were protected by the blood.

Romans 5:8-9- But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Colossians 1:14- In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Blood has to be spilled. The price has to be paid. God promised the Jews long ago that He would pay that price!

Leviticus 17:11- For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

God manifest in the flesh gave His blood to make atonement for our sin and pay the wages required for your soul by death.

Hebrews 9:12- Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

This Passover sacrifice was only performed once. It never had to be repeated. That’s the same with Jesus Christ’s sacrifice- once was enough to pay the sin debt for everyone for all eternity!

The only thing you have to do is choose. Do you pay the debt with your blood? OR, do you accept His payment for your sin?

If you want to accept Christ's payment, then you must believe that He was God manifest in the flesh and that He died for your sins, was buried, and then rose from the dead to live forever more. Then you confess that you believe these things and ask Him to apply His payment to your sin debt and save your soul from the wrath that will fall on your soul when you die.

I Corinthians 15:1-4- Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 10:9- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Will the death angel pass over your soul? OR will he collect it at the end of your life to pay your debt?

Israel, Hamas, and the Red Heifer

 In 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu predicted a new era of peace and prosperity in the Middle East, based on growing acceptance of Israel within the region. Today, that vision is gone.

In 2024, when an Hamas spokesman spoke at the mark of the 100th day of the current war, he explained to everyone's surprise that the reason Hamas opened the war was because the Jewish people are preparing to bring the Red Heifer. This is evident in the name of the war- Tufan al-Aqsa, or the al-Aqsa flood. The massacre which started the war was all about the Temple Mount.

According to the historic scribes in Judaism, the last war will be a religious war between the evil forces of Amalek and Israel. The month of Nissan, which was set as the month of the final redemption, is preceded by four specific events:

~Shekalim- each adult male Jew contribute half of a Biblical shekel for the upkeep of the Tabernacle or Temple

~Zachor- a remembrance of the attack of Amalek while the Jews wandered the wilderness and also a remembrance of Haman's plot to kill the Jews

~Parah Adumah- the sacrifice of the red heifer

~Hachodesh- the beginning of a new month

The problem for Hamas is that they know the majority of Jews don’t go into the Temple Mount (al-Aqsa) because they aren't considered "pure". The way they become pure is found in the book of Numbers 19, and can only come about once a Red Heifer has been ritually sacrificed and the ashes are used to undergo the process of purification. Then the Jews can enter the Temple Mount.

The Muslims are very scared of that event because they believe that "redemption" of the Jewish people will then take place (once Jews enter the Temple mount), and they will be forever doomed.

In Balaam's prophecy in the book of Numbers 22, he said, "Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever. '' The Jews believe this teaches that Israel's first war was with Amalek and also their last war will be with Amalek before the arrival of the Messiah, who will usher in the Messianic Age (or the Millennium, as Christian's call it).

They believe that means that the Jews in this present age are facing a war with Amalek. But who do they consider to be Amalek today?

We are accustomed to thinking that only the Germans are the Aryan race that is against the Jews, since the Nazis claimed to be the pure Aryan race. However, Scripturally speaking, the original races began in the middle east where Noah's family lived (Genesis 7), and all the races divided from that area after the tower of Babel (Genesis 11).

In the Hebrew people's mind, since Haman was Persian, they believe that the Amalekites are descendants of the Persians, who are an Aryan race. Therefore, when the Jews read in the Torah about "remembering Amalek", they interpret it as the last war indicated by Balaam that will take place with Persia, which is modern day Iran.

The October 7th Massacre is over the Temple Mount, and is an attempt by the Muslims try to delay the coming of the Messiah to set up his kingdom and destroy them. Hamas leaders have even called on Muslims to go to the Temple Mount and remain there until Passover evening, in order to “protect Al-Aqsa and prevent Jews from defiling it and making sacrifices there.”

What they fail to understand is that the Messiah has already come. There is, however, another need for the heifer- to remove the blood curse.

You see, when Jesus Christ came the first time, the Jews were looking for the Messianic Age. But that wasn't His purpose. His first coming was to keep the promise made to Adam and Ever- to pay for the sins of humanity.

His second coming will be to set up the Messianic kingdom, but it won't be until after the Jewish people have endured enough to admit their error from two millennia ago- their Messiah came a long time ago and they rejected Him.

Also, the man they will accept as their Messiah will turn out to be their greatest foe!

In To the Deep Freeze (video sermon)

Life Is But A Weaving (poem)

My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He weaveth steadily.

Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside. 

Not ’til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas
And reveal the reason why. 

The dark threads are as needful
In the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned. 

He knows, He loves, He cares;
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him. 

–Corrie ten Boom

It Is Well (Elisha's Song)

Where Did It All Come From?

Where did it all come from? This is the question that everyone asks. The answer has to have this basic element- 1) something has always existed (it's eternal), and 2) it is powerful enough to create everything. Since none of us can recreate the beginning of the universe, we have to accept the answer by faith.

The Bible defines this something as God, an eternal being that is powerful enough to create the universe.

Genesis 1:1- In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Some people have a problem with this, so they come up with different answers. It began when nothing collided and caused a bang that generated matter and energy. This really is a silly one because first you have to believe that matter and energy (which can only be transferred from one thing to another according to the laws of science) came about from absolutely nada- spontaneous generation! And second, you have to accept by faith that this accidental stuff created and abides by scientific laws.

Like the ever so popular multiverse theory. Movies and tv shows are really capitalizing on this one. But there's still a problem, where did they all come from? You not only have to believe in an infinite number of universes that you have never seen, but have faith that something or someone created all of them without knowing who or what that is or where it came from.

Let's forget the universe and focus on just a small piece, a single cell. 

All cells come from pre-existing cells. So, where did the first cell come from? And, we're back to the problem of an eternal being powerful enough to create life.

Colossians 1:16- For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

The hope of every scientist, though they may not out rightly admit it, is to explain the supernatural through scientific experimentation and processes. Thoughts are just impulses in the brain and attraction is just the release of hormones, etc. 

For many millennia, people believed there was a higher being who oversaw the world. This God gave them direction in their life, a reason for existence, and an answer to what comes after death.

Micah 6:8- He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Different cultures began to associate different attributes with different deities. Instead of one all powerful God who knows all and sees all, it became many gods. And instead of an unchanging, infallible God, they imagined gods who were volatile and controlled by their emotions just like humans were. Religion was the end result.

It became a list of do this and don't do that or there will be dire consequences. Then, the rise of zealots took the place of these gods as judges and dealt out the ramifications for the transgressions of the rules.

People became disillusioned with the idea that a being would judge their every action and started to look for a new ideology that wouldn't be so opinionated.

Darwin's original theory of natural selection was that the world would reject that which is bad and preserve all that was good for the benefit of each being. That sounds nice, doesn't it? This is the basic premise of evolution. We no longer have to deal with faith, we can know by the absolute certainty of science.

The problem is that not everything can be researched in a chemistry lab. Historical documents, for example, are not something that can be tested to ascertain whether or not the information is factual. For this, we must rely on a different source- like, how many different documents contain the exact same information?

There was a lot people could learn from evolution, however, the problem was that evolution did not distinguish between what was observed and what was assumed or postulated. And, it still was not good enough to explain how something could jump from simple to complex, or nonliving to living.

To get around this, they inserted philosophy, nature is capable of doing this all on its own or nature finds a way. This is still assumption and not based on any scientific observation- it can't be tested and have consistent results.

This, too, failed as time saw theories change and factions formed, and "science" became dogmatic and just as divisive as religion.

Social Darwinism taught that different races of people were at various stages of evolution, and this thought justified evils like eugenics and mass genocide to study a specific evolutionary "stage".

Once people realized the terror that ensued, they began to view truth as an illusion. Reasonable certainty was then accepted and people began to insert their opinion as fact and forced everyone to acknowledge "their truth" as the standard by which they should live their life.

The inevitable end of evolution is that there is no right or wrong. Morality is based on your preferences and no one has the authority to judge you except yourself.

But, the problem comes in when their lifestyle puts your life in jeopardy. Their truth is they like to hurt, they enjoy dealing out destruction, your pain pleases them.

Somewhere there needs to be a line between good and evil. There needs to be rules and laws so that one person's freedom to swing their fists doesn't infringe on the other person's freedom to walk around. And these regulations need to be accessible to all and observed by all for there to be true freedom and peace in all aspects of our lives- physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

The only way you can truly answer all of these questions satisfactorily is if there is a God who has always been and is powerful enough to create you. If He has given you life, then He has a purpose for your life and will judge you according to how you live that life.

Acts 17:30-31- And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

The Rapture Of The Church

 If you have ever spoken to a Christian, especially a Protestant Baptist, you will have likely heard them reference the Rapture. The word rapture isn't in the King James Bible. In fact, that word would only be found in an early AD 400 edition of Jerome's Latin Vulgate. Though the word itself is not in the Bible, the teaching or doctrine of it is. 

There are three main passages that teach the Rapture.

John 14:1-3- Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

In this passage, it's not exceptionally clear that Christ is referencing taking both the dead and the living. Some people read this as if Jesus was speaking of our eternal dwelling place in heaven after our soul departs from our body at death.

The concept of the rapture was a mystery until Paul. It is in his letters to the churches that we find the Scriptures that detail exactly what it is.

I Corinthians 15:50-57- Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this passage, Paul is telling us a mystery that has been revealed to him. There a few mysteries in the Bible that Paul has the privilege of sharing with the world. The mystery is that not all of us will die (sleep). When the Bible mentions "sleep" in reference to death it has to do with the soul's relationship with the body. If the soul is still in the body, or will once again be in the body, the person is considered asleep.

John 11:11-13- These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Lazarus died, but Christ was going to call his soul back into his body and raise him from the dead. So, when Paul talks about someone being "asleep in the Lord" what he means is they are dead, but they won't stay that way forever. At some point in time their soul and their body will be brought back together.

In I Corinthians 15, Paul is saying that those that are dead will be raised. Their bodies will be brought forth out of the ground, all the atoms reassembled in a way that it will be the same body, but it will be an eternal, perfect, undying one. The people who are still alive won't die. Their atoms will be changed from mortal to immortal and they will raise in an eternal, perfect body.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18- But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

This passage gives us more of the protocol of the rapture. There will be a shout from heaven, where Christ is at the right hand of God. It will be accompanied with the voice of the archangel (Michael- Jude 1:9) though we don't know what it is that he is saying. And the trump of God (the sound a trumpet makes). When God speaks it can sound like rushing might waters, loud thundering, or a trumpet blasting out a note.

Many people believe that God will say "Come up hither" because that is what He said to John in Revelation 4:1, and John describes that hearing this sounded like a trumpet speaking to him.

After the loud noise, the dead will be reanimated and raised from their burial spots, and the living will be taken up from wherever they may be at the time to come together as a great host in the atmosphere. There we will meet the Lord Jesus Christ in person and be escorted into the spiritual realm of the Lord God Almighty.

There are types, or pictures of this in the Old Testament, however no one understood what they were or what they meant at the time. Enoch was a human that was translated from the earth to live with God in heaven before God sent the flood of waters to destroy the earth in Noah's time. Lot was a Gentile living in a wicked city that was taken with his wife and two daughters out of the area before God rained fire and brimstone on the place to destroy it for the evil that was prevalent in it. Rahab was a Gentile who lived in Jericho that had gone against the orders of her people and saved the two Jewish spies lives; she and her family were safely taken out of Jericho before the Israelite army slaughtered the town.

Those are just a few in the first part of the Bible. I'm certain if you know any Bible stories that you could come up with more examples. But the important part is this- they were taken out before God's wrath fell. What does that mean? The rapture will happen before the Tribulation.

I Thessalonians 1:10- And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

I Thessalonians 5:9-10- For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

There are a few other verses scattered throughout the New Testament that allude to the rapture: Philippians 3:20-21, Colossians 3:4, II Timothy 4:8, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 9:28, I Peter 5:4, and I John 3:2.

What do all these verses have in common? They reference Christ's coming and that we will get a reward if we are looking for Him. If you are saved, you should not only be living like a Christian and working to tell others about the saving gospel of Jesus Christ, but you should also be anticipating and hoping for the time when He calls your name and takes you to live with Him for all eternity in Heaven.

God Knows Me by Heart (song)

Believer’s Heritage- Bob Murphy

 The only time you can get safely off the roller coaster after it starts moving is at the end of the ride. If you quit the ride before then, it will cause pain or death. 

Bob Murphy 3/2012

Ps 77:14 “Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.”

 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” 

2 Tim 4:7

            

      Do some of the hospital departments address you by your first name? Have you ever been sick of being sick, and tired of being tired? Have you ever begun to shake at the sight of a syringe or the thought of going to the hospital or doctor? Have you ever looked at a handful of pills and thought, “Oh God, not again?” If you have, then you are most likely part of the world of the chronically ill. I think Charles Dickens put it best when he penned the words “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… It was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness…”[1] That quote from his classic book A Tale of Two Cities describes very aptly the Christian lives of my wife (Pam) and me in the years 2010-2012. After thirty years of being saved and living the best Christian lives we could, the greatest trial of our faith hit us quite unexpectedly in February of 2011. Do the tests of God ever end? Unfortunately they do not! As long as we are still turning oxygen into carbon dioxide, and looking at the daisies instead of pushing them up, the trials will continue. Is it worth it to go on, even when there appears to be no hope or reason why we should? Absolutely. That is the reason for this book: not for us to glory in our infirmities for our glory’s sake, but to glory in our infirmities for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ for what He has done for us, and with us, through it all. This is a testimony of His grace, growth, peace that passes all understanding, and miracles in our lives. The Apostle Simon Peter tells us:                                                                          

1 Pet 1:6-8  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: {7} That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: {8} Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory… 

            

      My hope in writing this book is that it might encourage all who read it to not be afraid of the Lord’s trials no matter how severe they may be, or how hopeless they appear. They are orchestrated and sent to us, with all the love in the universe, for the dual purpose of making us better Christians, and for glorifying the Lord. 

(Phil 1:6)  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

The letter was from the American Red Cross, twenty-three years ago, and read something like this:

      

Dear Mr. Murphy:

               This letter is to inform you that you are no longer eligible to donate blood. Tests show that you are a carrier of non-A, non-B Hepatitis, (now designated Hepatitis-C) a contagious disease. We recommend that you see your doctor in the near future to discuss this finding and explore your options. Thank you for your past participation in the blood donation program, and good luck in the future.                 

Sincerely…

      Non-A, non-B Hepatitis? What is that? They didn’t even have a real name for it back then, kind of like  movie stars whose name we know as whatever Hollywood has decided to name them. What is their real name? Who knows?

      A trip to the doctor was about as enlightening as trying to hold a conversation with “Stitch,” my dachshund. It entailed lots of head-cocking and puzzled expressions. It went something like this: 

Me: So Doctor, exactly what is non-A, non-B Hepatitis? 

Doc: We don’t exactly know (head cocked). 

Me: How did I get it? 

Doc: We don’t know how anyone gets it. 

Me: What is the treatment for it? 

Doc: At this time we’re not sure (head cocked in other direction).

Me: Is it life threatening? 

Doc: Possibly.

Me: How long would you guess I have? 

Doc: Perhaps a few years, perhaps you’ll die of old age.

Me: What do I do now? 

Doc: Have yearly blood tests done and keep an eye on it. 

      Wow, and I’m actually paying him for this? But please don’t think I am against the medical profession. After all these years of dealing with this problem, this past year has brought me a new-found, and tremendous respect, for what the medical profession can accomplish. But you could never have convinced me of that when I left his office that day. In all fairness, however, it was a new type of Hepatitis, and there just wasn’t much information available. 

      After blood tests by a lab in Pensacola, Florida I was told that I had a mild case of Hep-C and that there was nothing to do about it. It was there but wasn’t causing any real problems. That was the worst health advice I had ever been given, but the same advice was repeated many times over the next twenty-one years. So nothing was done except for occasional monitoring. Looking back now, I cannot help but think that if they had treated me for the disease back then, I would not be practically incurable now.

      Then in the summer of 2008 while doing lawn care work, I started becoming very fatigued and sick. Not knowing what was going on, I weathered the storm the rest of the year. In the summer of 2009, I started having severe nose bleeds, bleeding gums, and wounds which took much longer to stop bleeding than normal. I went to see a Heptologist, and, in September, she sent me for a liver biopsy. It was determined I had fourth stage liver fibrosis; the next step was cirrhosis. I had gone from nothing to almost critical in one year! The doctor said it was an Auto- Immune Hepatitis, in addition to the Hep-C, and started me on massive doses of Prednisone (a strong steroid). 

      I ended up walking into bookshelves and apologizing to them for doing so! I didn’t even realize I had done it until my wife said: Did you just walk into the bookshelf and apologize to it? It was like the old drugs days; I was once again a “Starship Trooper.”

In February 2011, I contracted the flu and everything went to pieces. The flu lowered my immune system sufficiently to allow the Hep-C to proliferate. I was taken, by Pam, to the emergency room of the VA Hospital in Boise, Idaho, and went from the E.R. to the hospital’s “Step Down” center and was admitted. I was given blood transfusions and blood platelets to stop the bleeding. The doctors did the best they could, and I received excellent care, but not being liver specialists they really had no idea what to do. They contacted the Portland, Oregon, V.A. Medical Center, one of the best liver hospitals in the world. The doctors there said I needed to get to Portland immediately, and I was sent by Life Flight the next day. I needed a liver transplant, and I spent the next five months there. I won’t bore you with all the details, but I do feel it is necessary for you to understand the major parts of what Pam and I went through so that you know I am not writing this book as an “armchair warrior” but have been through what many of you have also experienced or will experience.   

      After arriving and going through more transfusions, blood tests, liver biopsies, x-rays, CT scan, MRI, and ultrasounds, my body started to swell up with fluid. My doctor came into my room, sat on my bed, and with tears in her eyes told us I had also contracted a disease called Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP), an acute bacterial infection you get from Ascites (fluid buildup, which had caused me to gain forty pounds). She told us to call the family because fifty percent of the people who get SBP don’t ever leave the hospital. This was the first of three life threatening things I faced in that five months in Portland. I was so swollen with fluid I could not even lift my legs, they were so heavy. My bodily functions all began to shut down, and there was nothing they could do about any of it. I was taken off the transplant waiting list because the doctors thought I was not going to live. But God is not limited by the medical profession, and people were praying. The worse I became, the more they prayed. After two weeks I started to improve and finally pulled out of it. You might say, “Well, fifty percent of people DO pull out of it so how can you say God was responsible?” Because I was not heading anywhere close to a normal recovery. I was dying, and everyone knew it. There was nothing the doctors or medicine could do. God brought me through it, and it is He who gets all the glory. Amen!

      During this time, my liver continued to get worse. I was so yellow from jaundice one could almost turn out the lights and see me glow! My viral count was up to sixty-nine million instead of being zero like a normal person. My liver function dropped to ten percent, and I was once again facing death. But during this period I had the greatest spiritual experience of my life, and I would like to tell you about it for the purpose of bringing hope to those who may think they have none. Remember: It is always darkest before dawn.

      It was the end of the day; the shift change had taken place, and my doctors and day nurses were all going home. I could tell from their actions that many of them did not expect to see me again. Indeed, I did not expect to see them either. I did not let the extent of my feelings be known to Pam, but she was not worried anyway. She went back to the lodge where she was staying and had a good night’s sleep. The Lord had given her comfort and peace before He had given it to me! That night I sat in a chair in my room unable to sleep, but I left the light off. There was just enough light coming through the windows from the lights of Portland that I could see the clock on my wall. I just sat there watching the clock and waiting for the Death Angel to strike, and the Lord to take me home. But sometime during the night I received the distinct impression that the Lord had come into my room and was standing over in a corner watching me. There was no sound, no lights flashing, no tongue talking or any other Charismatic nonsense, but there was a profound feeling of His presence. I wasn’t really comforted in any special way, I just waited for the inevitable and He just watched. Much to my surprise, morning came and I was alive! The Lord’s presence left, and now, after months of thinking about it, I think He came that night to do two things: (1) to keep the Death Angel from taking me, and (2) to let me know that no matter what happened, He was always with me and loves me. As a Christian I have always believed what the Lord said in the scripture - that He would never leave nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5), but here I came face to face with that truth. What a great blessing the realization was, and it is one I will never forget.

      I found out later that at the same time this was taking place, my home church, Treasure Valley Baptist, was holding special meetings with an evangelist. During his preaching that same night that I was waiting to die, the Lord spoke to Pastor DeMichele’s heart and told him that I was not going to make it through the night if the church did not pray for me that night. So after the preaching, he announced a prayer meeting for me and several hundred people stayed to pray. The Lord gave the same message to some other friends of mine, including an inmate I had dealt with in my prison ministry. He got fifty men together (a violation of prison rules) and they also had a prayer meeting for me. I know I am alive today because of their prayers and God’s love and mercy! 

Jer 32:27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” 

      The obvious answer is, no! There is nothing too hard for the Lord. Life and death are in His hands alone. A great preacher once said, “I am immortal until God is finished with me.” I believe that statement with all my heart. Even death and the Devil are subject to God’s will, and nothing can overcome me except my own stubborn will.

      Almost a week passed. I was tired of waiting for something to happen, and my health was fading fast. Another sleepless night came and I sat in my chair once again praying. I told the Lord that whatever His will was for me, whether to live or die, it was fine with me; but could we do it NOW? I was so tired and worn out I just wanted it over one way or another. 

I was so tired and worn out I just wanted it over one way or another. I had barely finished my prayer when my room door opened and two of my nurses entered. I had witnessed to all my nurses at some point and also to many of my doctors, and I had a great rapport with them. One nurse was jumping up and down a little and said, “They have a liver for you, and we’re going to get you ready for surgery.” We were all overjoyed!

My name is Bob Murphy. I am an Independent Baptist Christian, am chronically ill, and possibly terminal,with liver failure due to Hepatitis-C; the details of which you will read in subsequent blogs. I received a liver transplant in March 2011, but the medical community could not cure the Hepatitis. In consequence, my liver is once again failing. After being a Christian ( a preacher and missionary) for 31 years, the Lord has opened my eyes to some aspects of life of which I was unaware of before I became ill.

     There were many things I have gone through, both physically and, more importantly, spiritually,which caught me totally off guard. Things I never expected to happen as a Christian. The purpose of this blog is to help others be prepared for the same things, and to help them as much as I can to survive the onslaught of spiritual oppression which they will fight in the battle. I have written a book about the subject called "The Fight For Light," which is available at Amazon. To those that are ill, or know of someone who is, please write. God bless you in your own spiritual battle with disease.

This is one of the last things Bob wrote. He passed away February 2, 2013.

May God grant you the joy that He has given us through this experience, and prepare you for a profoundly new, and blessed way of Christian living.”

Trust His Commands

 

The Rapture (poem)

 God's Word says, "Look up, your redemption draws nigh!"

All saints with be "caught up" to Him in the sky.

Any day now, Christ Jesus is coming again.

From the throneroom of heaven, He'll surey descend!

The Bridegoom is leaving His Father's right side

To fetch His beloved, the Church, His fair bride.

With a trump and a shout, He'll call from the air,

And with bodies transformed, we'll meet with Him there.

Believers, together, gathered as one;

United forever, with Jesus the Son.

And so shall we be evermore with the Lord;

Overcomers of evil, by the sword of His Word.

"Behold, I am coming!...the beginning and end."

"Even so," says the Spirit, "Come, Lord Jesus. Amen!"

Together with Jesus, we'll rule and we'll reign,

A kingdom of priests in His perfect domain.

-Sandra Graham

Changing Words

IT has become common for people to use specific words to label or manipulate a conversation. They do this by using words that have good meanings in a way to try to make you feel an emotional reaction to what they are trying to portray. It's basically linguistic propaganda.  

If they can get you to acknowledge a new meaning of a "good" word, then they can get you to accept their definition of that word. And once you have done that then they can manipulate you through the use of those words.

Using these words with their new meanings are suppose to elicit guilt, fear, anger, pity, compassion, etc. Anything to move you emotionally and stop you from thinking critically. They can make anyone who doesn't accept their opinion out to be the enemy.

Just think of how they use the words "choice" or "justice". Having a choice is a good thing, right? Same with justice? So, they label murder of an unborn baby as pro-choice (sounds positive, huh?). Or, shouting about their views as social justice. You get the idea.

Isaiah 5:20- Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

The side that controls the meaning of the words- love, truth, tolerance, justice, equality- can vilify any opponent. Let's look at some of the words they are changing.

The original definition of the word "love" as found in Webster's 1828 dictionary is to regard with affection, on account of some qualities which excite pleasing sensations or desire of gratification. 

God's Word actually elevates the meaning of words, giving them greater context. Love in the Bible is doing what's best for the object of your affection even if the outcome isn't particularly pleasant for you.

I John 3:16- Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Love is now generally used as blindly accepting whatever a person states they believe. Anything that makes someone feel uncomfortable is now said to be "unloving".  If you don't accept that then you're labeled a "hater". 

Notice how that makes you feel? It's all emotional. A refusal to acknowledge and embrace sin is now "hateful and unloving". 

"Truth" means conformity to fact or reality. However, truth is not a definitive thing anymore, it's now subjective. By putting a personal pronoun in front of the word, they can try to force you to accept anything as "their" truth.

This is nothing new. They were doing this in bible times.

Romans 1:25- Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Paul had to tell the Romans that "their truth" was a delusion. You can't change fact into your opinion and force it on others to accept. The illusion of reality isn't where a person should live, yet they not only desire to live there, but they want you to cater to their delusion.

A big one is tolerance. This word, like political correctness now means that all beliefs, no matter how ridiculous, must be treated as legitimate.

Tolerance original definition is the act of enduring. The word itself is not in the King James Bible, but the act of enduring is. 

II Timothy 2:3- Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

This doesn't mean to accept all beliefs. It means to do right regardless of the opposition you will face for taking a stand. Endurance can build a person into someone amazing! Tolerance as it is defined today can't build character.

Justice and equality are also making a rise as words that can label people. They're really big on the news right now! 

People are always wanting "justice" for their cause. Every social problem now needs "justice". The idea is that you are "injust" if you don't lobby for their idea of the situation.

Justice means the virtue which consists in giving to every one what is his due; merited punishment.

Justice and judgment generally go hand-in-hand. So, why would they utilize a word when it's companion is so often disdained? Judging someone in today's society is a big faux pas!

Jeremiah 23:5- Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

The word "justice" can only be found in the Old Testament of the King James Bible. Isn't that interesting? Once Christ died for sin, the idea of substitution and mercy come to the forefront!

Equality means an agreement of things in dimensions, quantity or quality; similarity in regard to two things compared. 

Today, people want equality in everything. Everyone should be on the same level. The problem with that is that it goes against freedom of choice. The late, great economist Milton Friedman once said, “A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both.” The fact is, free people are not equal and equal people are not free.

Everyone may start from the same place, but their choices determine where they end. It should not be forced upon you what you should become so that someone else feels good about themselves.

Anyone who makes what is perceived to be an exclusive statement is labeled a bigot. A bigot is person who is obstinately and unreasonably wedded to a particular religious creed, opinion, practice or ritual. 

If you believe marriage is between a man and a woman, you are a bigot. If you support the idea that Christ is the only way to heaven, you are a bigot. They use that word to make you appear prejudiced. And it only works if they've already blurred the truth. You starting to see the danger?

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.

According to them, Jesus is a bigot. It doesn't matter that He died for you, and gave precious promises to you. If He doesn't accept what you believe you are and how you want to live your life, then He's a bigot.

Authentic is a buzzword that I usually associate with food. They slap it on sauces and recipes to evoke a sense of wholesomeness towards their product. Being "authentic" as a person isn't normally wholesome, it's usually used by a person living a rebellious lifestyle. They say, "You are perfect just the way you are, so embrace it." God wants you to be you, but He also wants you to strive to be holy like Christ.

I Peter 1:15- But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

Authentic means having a genuine original or having authority, in opposition to that which is false, fictitious, or counterfeit. 

Satan is the greatest counterfeiter there is. He shows himself as an angel of light, and will one day demand to be worshipped as God.

II Corinthians 11:13-15- For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

II Thessalonians 2:3-4- Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

To blur the issue and compel people to act without thinking is a tactic of the devil. He twists everything, even God's Words, so that the meanings are unclear and can be construed in an infinite amount of wicked ways. 

Without a definitive creation, there can be evolution. Without a conclusive way to gain God's favor there can be many paths to God. Without a absolute authority, there will be opinionated lifestyles. And Satan will lead many on the path to hell with these watered-down, convoluted words.

What is a Christian to do? Follow Paul's advice to Timothy.

I Timothy 6:11- But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Apt To Teach

  

"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"  (I Tim. 3:2)

  

If you'll read the entire list of pastoral qualifications (verses 2-7), you will not find preaching on the list.  But Paul does list teaching in the very first verse of seven qualifications.  Then if you'll study through the pastoral epistles (I Timothy thru Titus), you will find twice as many references to teaching as preaching.  In the four gospels, teaching is mentioned more than preaching by about a 60/40 ratio.  Yet, for some strange reason

, in looking back over my 44 years of being a Christian, I can't name over 10 men who impressed me as being good Bible teachers.  Most all of the emphasis and energy has gone towards preaching while not one preacher out of twenty ever turned out to be a good teacher or even wanted to be one.  Even Dr. Ruckman had high hopes of being a preaching evangelist, but he finally yielded to God's will and agreed to be a teacher of the Book.  Thank God for that!

  

I don't mean to downplay the importance of preaching, but I find it very sad that so many have downplayed the importance of teaching.  Preaching gets all the spotlight and praise and name recognition while teaching gets to ride in the backseat in hopes of getting a chance to utter a few words somewhere along the way.  In reality, by the Bible standard, it should be the other way around.  That's why I recently stated that a preacher who doesn't get people interested in the Bible is a loser.  

  

A true Bible preacher is a God-called man who is "apt to teach."  He doesn't just yell and "run the bases" for a weekly religious show, and he doesn't just give sweet devotions.    A true Bible preacher is also an able teacher who studies and rightly divides the word so that people go home with a better understanding of God's word.  Because of his studying and teaching, people don't just follow a list of religious do's and don'ts that they were pressured into following; they actually develop an interest in the Bible and begin to grow in their understanding of it and in their desire to obey it.  They are truly LED by the Holy Spirit, rather than being pressured into following religious rules.

  

I will add that some have the idea that teaching has to be dry and boring, while preaching is more passionate and exciting.  That's just not true.  It all depends on the individual and his attitude and knowledge about the subject matter.  Both preaching and teaching can be very interesting and edifying when the man is prayed-up and prepared.  In fact, a wise and experienced preacher knows how to balance a message with a good blend of both.  The reality is that good teaching requires WORK (II Tim. 2:15), and most men are too lazy to put forth the effort, so the "teaching is boring" myth gives them a convenient excuse.  

    

But my words will be largely ignored while preachers continue to send young men to "Bible school" to learn the Book that THEY should have taught them.  The fact that almost no one sees a problem with this is quite alarming, or at least it is to THIS preacher AND teacher.

  

There are two chief reasons for preaching being more desired than teaching: IT OFTEN TAKES LESS WORK and IT GETS MORE PRAISE.  That can be a deadly combination.  It doesn't have to be, but it often is.

I recall a certain comment that I once received from a missionary who basically said that he could never be a pastor because that would require lots of study in preparation for new messages every week.  Another pastor that I sat under for six years had a habit of preaching about ten sermons over and over again, sometimes under different titles, instead of studying and preparing fresh new messages regularly.  A man from Michigan once told me that his pastor told their church that "I cannot teach you the word of God."  My wife and I were in a Georgia church many years ago when a young man stepped into the pulpit and literally screamed for about fifteen minutes and was then praised for really knowing how to "preach."  Trust me, I could continue for quite a while.  

Commenting on another post, someone recently suggested that "passion" was the mark of good preaching.  If that's so, then why isn't it one of the qualifications of a bishop in I Timothy 3?  I'll tell you why: passion can be easily counterfeited with drama and theatrics, even when there's no real underlying substance to what's being said.  That's why I still remember the volume, the twitching and jumping around, and the facial expressions of the Georgia youth, but I can't remember a word that he said.  It was all drama and theatrics, but not enough substance to be remembered.  It's like these commercials that put so much effort into making you laugh or cry that you forget what they were selling.  I suspect that THAT is why "passion" is not listed as a requirement for a preacher.  Even cheerleaders are "passionate," but God never calls them to preach.  Kenneth Copeland is "passionate," but does that qualify him?  I've had these camp meeting junkies in my church.  They give God their emotions, but their minds are reserved for sports, politics, money and other secular interests. When they can't turn the worship services into a fleshly festival, they'll either start trouble or leave. Let 'em leave. Better off without 'em.

Now, TRUE passion comes naturally from the heart when a man really loves God and God's word.  A man who loves God and the Bible will naturally have the right amount of passion, and it will be balanced with his own personality, not copied from someone else.  If he loves and believes what he is teaching (or preaching), it will be interesting and edifying.  He might or might not jump and yell, but his passion for truth will be evident for all to see and hear.  He will not be dry and boring.

No one wants to talk about it, but the truth is that many preachers are in the ministry only because they're too lazy to work real jobs.  This means that they are also too lazy to study and become approved WORKmen in the scriptures (II Tim. 2:15).  The religious drama that they bring to the pulpit is only a poor substitute for their lack of truth substance (The less he has to say, the louder he says it.)  Their members call him a good preacher because he's a "passionate" preacher, but they send all their Bible questions to someone else.  

A call to the ministry is more than a call to travel, witness, preach and fellowship.  It's a call to solitude where you must PRAY, WORK and STUDY so that you always have fresh manna for God's people. (This post alone took over two hours of prayer, meditation and writing.)  It's a call to FEED the sheep (John 21:15-17), not to merely pacify or entertain them.  Everything comes with a price, and those who choose to be preachers without being good teachers are often little more than religious thieves who are encouraged and supported only by ignorant people, not by sound-minded believers.

For any young man wanting to enter the ministry as a preacher, I would first ask one question:  What do you REALLY want?

-James L Melvin

biblebaptistpublications.org

Farther Along (song)

All Through The Night (poem)

Sleep, my love, and peace attend thee,
All through the night;
Guardian angels God will lend thee,
All through the night;
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping;
Love alone his watch is keeping-
All through the night.

While the moon her watch is keeping
All through the night
While the weary world is sleeping
All through the night
O'er they spirit gently stealing
Visions of delight revealing
Breathes a pure and holy feeling
All through the night.

Though I roam a minstrel lonely,
All through the night;
My true harp shall praise thee only,
All through the night;
Love’s young dream, alas! is over,
Yet my strains of love shall hover
Near the presence of my lover
All through the night.

Love, to thee my thoughts are turning
All through the night
All for thee my heart is yearning,
All through the night.
Though sad fate our lives may sever
Parting will not last forever,
There's a hope that leaves me never,
All through the night.

Hark! a solemn bell is ringing
Clear through the night;
Thou, my love, art heavenward winging,
Home through the night;
Earthly dust from off thee shaken,
Soul immortal thou shalt waken,
With thy last dim journey taken
Home through the night.

-Har­old E. Boul­ton

Note: It was first published under that name by Bardd y Brenin (Edward Jones) in Musical Relicks of the Welsh Bards(1784). Those lyrics were eventually replaced by Harold Boulton's now familiar lyrics.

Believer's Heritage- Leslie Morgan Horton

Leslie grew up in Flower Mound, TX, where she attended Marcus High School. She later went to Baylor University, where she was active in Campus Crusade and her beloved KXA sorority. Through mutual friends, Leslie met Mark, fell in love, and married on May 16, 1999. With him by her side, she fulfilled her two greatest dreams of being a teacher and having children. Leslie’s Wish was to create a home that featured scripture that we could read for encouragement and to remember her.

 

Leslie was a one of a kind spirit. Her calming presence and love for Jesus were evident in all she did. She wasn’t just kind to her friends, she was kind to people who were not very kind to her. She was known for constantly serving others even when it meant expending her last ounce of energy, as was the case the last few months.  Throughout Leslie’s life, she desired to be obedient to God’s calling, whether that was starting a Moms in Prayer group, returning to teaching, or starting the children’s ministry at her church. The paths she was called on weren’t always easy, but Leslie chose to be faithful to God’s calling rather than merely existing for her own comfort. She knew that this life wasn’t her ultimate home. She chose, in faith, to invest in eternity. The smile that slowly slipped on her face after she passed tells us that her investment was not misplaced.

Leslie deeply leaned on this service, although she never talked with Daily Audio Bible, she was committed to listening everyday and hearing God’s word. There were many nights where she could not rest or stop thinking and she would begin listening to scripture read from DAB and she would find peace and rest. She said that thanks to DAB, she was able to hear the entire bible which made her very happy. She want find joy connecting someone with this service because it meant so much to her.

 

In her own words, these are Leslie’s parting remarks: “I stopped clutching this life to the point of where I squeezed all life out of my days. It is only in my surrender that I was actually able to live. We are all called to lay our burdens at Jesus’ feet. My burden has been cancer. When I finally released this burden at Jesus’s feet, then the peace flowed. There are some types of good that can’t be attained the easy way. There are some goods that we only experience through great struggle and great suffering. The peace and love that I’ve had during my final days, weeks, and months far surpasses anything I had before cancer. From the outside looking in, my life looks like it has slowly petered to a halt, but in my spirit, it has been the opposite.”

Matthew 11:2-6- Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

I always thought it was odd that Christ would send this message to John. Why would He tell John not to be offended?
Perhaps it was because the disciples were going to tell John about all the good Jesus was doing for those around Him, and yet He wasn't making a difference in John's circumstances.
Sometimes, we get upset when God appears to be working in everyone else's life, and yet He doesn't seem to be answering our requests (or answering them as we would have them answered). It's during these times that we should remember that God knows best, and He has promised to work all things out for our good (Romans 8:28).
Christ didn't promise use peace and wealth in this life. He never promised good health and a trouble-free life. He promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He promised to forgive our sins. He promised a mansion in heaven for eternity.
So, whatever you're going through, blessed is whosoever shall not be offended when things don't go our way!

Leslie Furneaux Morgan Horton, 41, went to be with the Lord on October 11, 2018, at 1:45 a.m. after a long struggle with cancer. She was surrounded by family.

Manda Strong Foundation - This website provides a Christ-centered support system for mothers battling cancer while also raising minor children. Support will come in many forms and will be tailored to meet the needs of each brave family.