I love seeing the Lord work. I love seeing how HE--and He alone!--always provides.
Today, I used 'Jubilee' to handle my business around town. Some of you may remember the story of 'Jubilee' and how she came to be--in our lives. It was back after we lost everything... our home... our cars... our furniture... our real estate franchise... both offices... back after several builders and developers went bankrupt and we weren't able to collect the vast amounts of money that were owed to us.
We lost it all.
The economy here in Griffin areas was in the toilet. I was working various odd jobs... my boss would have to come pick me up (we didn't even have a car). I would have to rent Jess a car ('And let Enterprise pick us up!') for her to to go show homes--and hopefully sell one.
We were being pounded on every side. People wanted money... money that we didn't have.
The funny thing is: people wanted money from us, but they didn't care that other people owed us money. They only cared about themselves. Their needs. Not any thought or consideration about others...
And all these people were in way better shape than Jess, the kids and I were. Way better shape. But. They wanted more. And we just didn't have it.
See: Plenty of people owed us money. A LOT of money. But. it was money that we would never collect. Not a dime. Money that was owed to us--it was ours. Fair and square. But. Life happens. And life isn't always fair...
But. fortunately for us... we had Problem Solving Devices that are found in God's Word: Faith Rest. Grace Orientation. Doctrinal Orientation. A personal sense of Destiny in Christ. Personal love for God the Father. Impersonal love for ALL mankind (especially those who don't deserve it).
These other people? They didn't have that. They could. I mean: many of them were believers. But. They didn't have any Bible Doctrine. Very little. So, all they had was human viewpoint. Human coping methods. Human problem solving.
So, they were frustrated. Angry. Bitter. Hateful. Some were even vengeful and nasty. They were hurting. And, so, they wanted to hurt others.
They didn't realize how to relax. How to get their eyes off circumstances and put them on the Lord. To put them on Bible Doctrine. To sit back and watch as the Lord provided for them. How God met their needs--even when we couldn't.
Anyway...
We were getting bombarded--on every side. From people we owed money to. From people who wouldn't help us unless we did what they wanted us to do--how they wanted us to do it. If we didn't adhere to their little religious tendencies... they wouldn't let us borrow a car (or take us to go rent one...).
We were stranded.
Completely helpless.
Completely hopeless.
Unable to solve our problems--ourself.
And you know what happened?
I will tell you what happened: GOD provided the way.
I was working odd jobs. Cleaning up foreclosures (homes and subdivisions for a bank) and Jess was trying to sell real estate. But. We didn't have the money to advertise. We didn't have the money to market. Not really. When you only have a little bit of money... and you have two kids counting on you... you don't gamble with it. You feed and clothe them. That's what you do. Even though you know... advertising and marketing is what you need to do.
No. That's human viewpoint.
What we needed to do.... what we did was: take in God's Word--intensely.
And a man from Texas bought a house from Jess. Not just a man... a millionaire. He bought almost a $500,000 home with Jess. He did 99% of everything via e-mail, phone and fax. He chose Jess because she wasn't in the lime light.... she wasn't popular... she wasn't even noticed... He was originally from the area and didn't want anyone to know his business. So, he went with an agent who was below the radar.... not even a blip on the local agents screen.... an outcast...
And were able to buy--cash--our little Kia sedan. And we named her 'Jubilee.'
The reason: We were studying Luke 4:18-19 when we got her.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
The favorable year of the Lord was called: Jubilee. ".
Jubilee deals largely with land, property, and property rights. According to Leviticus, slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven, and the mercies of God would be particularly manifest. Leviticus 25:8-13 states:
"And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession."
To be set free...
To be able to see...
To be released from the oppression...
When the Lord sets you free... you are free, indeed.
And He has set us free. For the first time in a long, long, long time... we were able to go when we wanted to go. Without having to beg... without having to borrow... without having to rent...
The Lord Provided.
That was years ago...
We have other vehicles now. And Jubilee has needed some work done to her. Just minor maintenance. Well, I just got some of the maintenance done and I decided to take her out today... to drive her around.
I have to be honest... it made me smile. I have a much nicer vehicle now. Much nicer (at least by man's standards), but it never makes me smile the way she does. Not like Jubilee.
Well, I cut on the radio and there was a CD in it...
And, of course, it was an old Bible Study class.... from years ago.
But. You know what? It was about one of the VERY things that I'm facing right now in my life. The very thing.
People are funny. They'll dismiss 100 things that they don't like. That they don't want to hear. That they don't want to be made aware of. They REFUSE to see/hear.
BUT. They'll lock on--engage--on the one single thing that supports THEIR presuppositions. That reinforces their flawed opinions. That justifies their poor and abhorrent behavior. They'll use the one as a way to rationalize and justify what they already want to do...
Blind arrogance and subjectivity.
And the world may condemn you. But. When The Lord Jesus Christ exonerates you... you are exonerated for good. Eternally.
And that is how we must live our life: in the light of eternity.
That's what my lesson was on today.
Keeping our eyes on the prize: The Lord Jesus Christ.
Here and now? Yes, we'll take our lumps. But. They're for our betterment. And we get to see His faithfulness in the storm.
So...
I am thankful for insults...
I am thankful or injuries...
I am thankful for persecutions...
I am thankful for slander...
I am thankful for libel...
I am thankful for the viciousness in which it comes...
The onslaught...
I am thankful for the vindictiveness of pusillanimous cowards who attack: my ministry... my family... my person... my job..
It. Is. Blessing.
It. Is. Honor.
Why? How? Because it makes us rely more and more and more and MORE on Him. Not people. Not places. Not circumstances. Not situations. Not our talents. Not our abilities. Not our creativity. Not our connections.
It makes us rely on: Him.
And--HE--will meet our needs. My needs. Perfectly.
Just another chance to see His faithfulness.
Just another chance to see His grace.
Just another chance to see His mercy.
Just another chance to see His compassion.
People can be so ugly... so vicious...
But. God uses it to bring about His purpose. In our lives. And in the lives of others.
I don't know what the future holds. But. I do know who is already there. And I'm grateful that He never lets go. Not even for a second.
