(Mark 9:17-27) As you are beginning to see; the short conversation and the brief, tormented, seven word prayer by the nameless man with the devil possessed son contained every aspect of the Lord’s perfect prayer. Please take the time to read the rest of Judging: the Authority Principal parts 2 and 3 and you will understand.
(Matt. 6:9-13) Jesus said; “After this manner (on this fashion) therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed (to be holy, pure, to venerate) be thy name. Thy kingdom (realm) come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts (defined: faults, note:–> (Gal. 6:1 keyword-fault; defined: unintentional error or willful transgression; sin) as we forgive our debtors (transgressors). And lead us not into temptation (trial by putting to proof, to test) but deliver (rescue) us from evil (wickedness): For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
This is a generic prayer because it is a structure from which to build our prayer life. “After this manner therefore pray ye:” Jesus is giving us an allegorical type of prayer. In other words; here’s the skeleton, you put the meat on it and that meat is your soul. “Our Father which art in heaven,” (Rom. 8:10-18 esp. V.15 keyword- Abba) Through the born again experience, through the Holy Spirit of adoption, Who now dwells within you, you became a child of God and are a joint-heir with Christ to the kingdom of God so God is your spiritual Father.
(Rom. 8:9-17 esp. V.15 keyword: Abba) We Christians are allowed to call God Abba. Please remember this past sentence because it will be referred to throughout the rest of this article! (Eph. 2:8-13) Father is also an acknowledgment of God’s grace and mercy that freely gave you salvation. (John 10:28-30) Father acknowledges God’s power to save you and keep you and there is no devil (devils inhabit and influence people) and no person that can prevent it. (Rom. 5:8-9) Father is thankfulness and is an admission of your helplessness and thus your humility which results in worship.
MORE ABOUT ABBA. Ask any Jew; the word meaning Abba originated in the ancient Hebrew Aramaic; see explanation at https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-say-father-in-Hebrew and it means Daddy. In Greek Abba: defined: (a father as a vocation: defined: life’s work, mission, purpose; in other words, also a Daddy).
(Luke 22:41-44 then Mark 14:35-36) “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” When Jesus’ back was to the wall, when there was no way out, when He was forced, by the immeasurable love beating in the depths of His gallant heart, to meet His horrible torture and death so we might live He called on “Daddy” for help.
Here is an earthly example of the spiritual meaning of “Daddy” expressed in this PERSONAL NOTE: I was a step child. My biological father had left my Mom cold, forlorn, lonely and pregnant with me beside a dark road. As far as I know, he never saw my face. I was about three when “Daddy” married my Mom. Daddy had unbreakable laws; do not lie, do not steal, always keep your word, be loyal, be honorable, be dependable, pay your debts and take it like a man.
Daddy didn’t endlessly harp on a bunch of rules and beat me if I didn’t uphold them; he simply lived that way and expected me to be the same way. Yes, we had our problems along the way. I was young and my priority was “survive and look good to the world”. Daddy’s priority was “be fine, good, and true to yourself and heck with what the world thinks.” It was a long time before I figured out why so many people liked my Daddy so much.
Great Grandpaw had a good name, Grandpaw had a good name, Daddy had a good name and I was expected to uphold that good family name. When I was very small, pre-school, and the big bully came down the road and I didn’t have a chance and terror filled my heart I knew if I could make it to Daddy he would protect me. People liked Daddy but they knew he wouldn’t back up, not an inch and they knew what lay in his fists.
As I got bigger everything changed and I never found out why. Daddy, by example, taught me to stand up for myself and fight back. He didn’t teach me the art of fighting, he never wiped away the blood and tears, nor gave me any sympathy, ever. He never taught me how to have self-confidence.
He did criticize me, a lot. The contempt in his eyes for my weakness is what drove me to finally stop backing down, to finally face the bullies and try to beat them down. It was a strange thing, he seemed to want me to brag when I made my stand and I wouldn’t do it out of refusal to please him.
I seemed to take some kind of perverse satisfaction out of him thinking I was a coward. Sometimes someone would say something about this or that trouble, his eyes would look oddly excited when he’d ask about it and I’d say; “Aww, they’re just stretching it.” just so I could see the disappointment in his eyes. No, I didn’t win every battle either but I tried.
BUT: Also I can remember the breakfasts when I was a little feller; Daddy would push the last piece of meat and the last biscuit back and go to work with that “meat and biscuit” sized empty spot in his stomach just in case I might want a meat n’ biscuit sometime later in the day.
When I was sick Daddy would have sold everything he owned, if that’s what it took, to get medicine for me. I know in my heart Daddy would have fought a grizzly bear with his fists to give me time to escape. No doubt Daddy would have gone down but the main thing is that he would have gone down swinging because I was his and he loved me. Looking back on it, we had a strange relationship.
One of the greatest things Daddy ever did was wait. He waited until I was old enough to decide; he gave me a choice. “Son, you’re eighteen now. You’ve went by my last name since you was a little feller and started school. I was wondering if you wanted to make it legal?” I did, the adoption paperwork was done, it is legal and I’m my Daddy’s son.
I had cut Daddy’s hair for years but those last few weeks he hurt too bad to stand it. He liked his hair very short, military style. I don’t know if Daddy knew his hair had gotten shaggy, he tugged at it and grimaced so I guess he did. I gave Daddy his last haircut in the funeral home. It was my last personal gesture of love and respect for him in this world.
No, I didn’t cry; I knew where he was and that’s where I’m going. To tell the truth; I felt like takin’ my shoes off because I was on holy ground. I was then and I am now so thankful that we both lived long enough and I had matured enough that a few years before he died I got to tell him exactly how much he meant to me. Daddy mocked Christians and especially preachers because, in his opinion, he lived more holy than the church world. “If that buncha hypocrites are agoin’ to heaven I ain’t got a worry in the world.”
If you wish to read the story of our twenty-one-year spiritual war for Daddy’s soul see The Holy Spirit & You commentary, the article The Holy Spirit is Truth Part 2 Jesus, My Daddy and Me. You may laugh, cuss or cry or maybe all three but you will be ‘touched’.
Father makes flesh, blood and bone. “Daddy” is where you, you the soul and what you are, came from. The word “Daddy” is pure soul. “Daddy” is where you learn, honesty, work ethic, things like that. (Rom. 8:15-16 keyword: Abba) “ye have received the Spirit of adoption,” Please think about this earthly example of adoption and that we as “adopted” Christians are permitted to “cry, Abba (Daddy), Father”.
It is glorious and wonderful that we have a “Daddy” God to cry out to when the chips are down, our back is to the wall and all of hell is raging against us. Our “Daddy God” is pure love; He has endless resources, He has all power in heaven and earth, His mercy and tender pity have no known end and He loves us enough to die for us. And He did! Have you ever considered what God, “Daddy God”, wants most from His children? Uphold our family name and don’t bring shame to it. CHRISTIAN!
“Hallowed (most holy, pure, to venerate: venerate is defined: esteemed with the greatest respect, holy, sacred, revered) be thy name.” (Psa. 9:1; 21:13, 22:22-26 & 135:5) This line is praise in that the Lord is King of kings, Lord of lords and Lord above all gods and that you are to tell God exactly what He means to you. “Thy kingdom come.” The world is hateful and filled with violence and anger, jealousy and pride, greed and evil.
What Christian wouldn’t want to be permanently in the presence of God in love, peace, safety and joy? We are to be like what Paul said about himself; (Phil. 1:21-26) paraphrased: “I’d like to be with You; but, Lord, if it suits Your purpose and if I can still serve You here on earth I’ll be glad to stay.” In this you worship and submit to God. It’s up to you to get to the place where you can say it and mean it.
“Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” This whole sentence speaks of increase (spiritual growth) and humility and a desire to serve God. Paraphrased: (1Cor. 3:6-9) (V. 6 & 7) “I realize, oh Lord, that I can accomplish nothing without thine anointing, blessing and empowerment. (V.9) Help me, Heavenly Father, according to Thy lovingkindness, (Prov. 1:2-7 & 4:1-5) to find wisdom and understanding of thy ways and to know thy will so I may serve thee better.
(Psa. 18:1-3) For thou art my strength, my deliverer and my fortress. (Psa. 18:32 & 39) Please strengthen me and help me to be perfect in thine eyes for I am nothing without thee oh Lord my God. I ask these things in Jesus name. Amen.” This is praise, worship, thanksgiving and supplication.
“Give us this day our daily bread.” This sentence acknowledges dependence on God for all that you are and all you possess and by the way you word your prayer you will express your humility and your level of understanding and (John 4:23-24) thus your degree of worship of God!
(Job 1:1-22 esp. V.10 keyword: hedge & Job 2:1-13 esp. V.6 keyword: save his life) “Oh Great God, all that I possess and all that I am is in thy hand for without thy strength and thy protection, thy hedging me about, Satan would leave me like a crushed, bloody, wasted road kill beside the road of life, destroyed. I know, oh merciful God, that I am thine and Satan hates me for that; when he comes at me help me, oh Lord, to recognize him; Thou art my shield and my buckler; help me to stand in the evil day for it will surely come.
Oh Great God of mercy and graciousness, I apologize for all the times I have failed thee, for my slothful ignorance and pride, for the times I have so taken thee for granted. Please merciful Father forgive me for my failure to study thy Holy Word (Matt. 4:4 then John 6:32-58) which is my bread of life and forgive me for my silent lips (Psa. 107:1-43 esp. V.43) when I should have praised thee for thy lovingkindness.
(1John 4:8) Oh thou Great God of love (Psa. 51:1-17 esp. V.1,9,12 & 17) forgive me for my trespasses and sins according to thy lovingkindness, (Rom. 1:28-31 & Heb. 6:4-6) take not thy Holy Spirit from me (Rev. 3:5) and remove not my name from thy book of life (Luke 17:10) for truly I am an unprofitable servant.
Oh heavenly Father, Abba, I know thou needest me not and I need thee for all that I am and all things that pertain to me. I thank thee for thy tender pity and the lovingkindness of thy mercy toward me. (John 14:13-14) I ask these things in Jesus’ name (1John 2:12) and for His name’s sake. Amen.” This prayer is for me because I know me; you will have to figure out your own prayer because you know you. (Luke 18:10-14) If you are perfect please tell God all about that too, I’m sure He will be very interested.
“And forgive us our debts (faults) as we forgive our debtors (transgressors)” PERSONAL NOTE: My first wife and I started having trouble in an ever increasing volume for about the last twelve years of our marriage. I loved her with deep fierce passion and; well, if you’ve ever felt the burning, sacrificing love for your mate you know what I mean. That’s where I learned to hate addictive drugs and their awful influence upon the human soul. It had started so small there at the beginning; she had a simple car wreck, there was pain. I was a coal miner and I had coal miner’s medical benefits in the form of a little magic card.
It was a long time ago; you could have a dozen doctors and they would give you a thousand pills because nobody knew or understood then; or maybe they just didn’t care. To some people the dollar talks loud. Despite what you’ve heard about us and saw in the movies about us I encountered no drug use or abuse in Vietnam. None! When pure hell is exploding around you, you don’t need a pill, a tab, or a joint; you need plenty of ammo and your wits about you and you will not put up with your buddies being spaced out. Sure, I heard about it but I never even saw anybody try it. So, I didn’t understand about drugs; she didn’t either.
We didn’t know “a little something” for pain could become dependence and dependence could become a red-hot love affair with the death of hope; and with the death of hope came the death of love. As time went on, when there was no actual conflict, we were two hostile, warring camps regarding each other over a vast abyss of anger and our communication was like the arctic wind. She was failing as a Christian, a mother and a wife and I expected her to stop it. I didn’t know she couldn’t and I don’t guess she did either. She fought her pain the best she could. Neither of us knew craving is expressed by the body’s manufacturing of pain then demanding “a little something” to stop it.
When our son was killed about a year and a half before she filed for divorce that was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back; in this case the camel’s back was our marriage. In an ever increasing crescendo I felt like I was trapped in torment with the meanest, most cruel, most sneaky person God ever strung a gut through. She was a born fighter; if something hurt her she would hurt it right back. She lived by the code of the feud.
At first, after our son was killed, her feud was with God and with death and neither one of them shows hurt; they just are. Her bottled up anger and suffering focused on me; as far as she was concerned I was the source of her pain and her awful retribution had an outlet. I could be hurt and I would fight back. Our prayers were like a rural railroad crossing in the middle of the night; the lights were flashing, the bell was clanging, but nobody was there to see or hear. (Psa. 66:18) “If I regard (present, approve, provide) iniquity (trouble, vanity, wickedness, evil) in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
That last year we became like two caldrons of seething anger and retribution until only the steam of our iniquity rose as a horrible stink to the throne of God. I hurt so bad I thought I would die and I gave pain right back until it all ended in a crescendo of anger and hatred. Yessiree, old Buddy, that’s just exactly the right way for two Christians to act. Yes, we both sinned, a lot, for a long time.
Of course I still held the family (our sons, me and her) Bible reading every evening and the family prayer at bedtime. Sometimes she would join in but sometimes she would mock me and laugh at us. “The family that prays together stays together”; what a joke; because my efforts were a joke; a horrible, seething, steaming joke.
Yes, I still loved her in some twisted, clinging effort to hold on to our yesterdays when our love was real. Of course, being human, I thought she sinned against me much worse than I sinned against her. The last part of it God and our sins against Him were left out of the equation. I could use my tongue like a back alley razor and I did; both of us did; because she could too.
“Look at me! Look at me! I’m hurting over here! Here’s you a double broadside right back!” She left with friends and came back three times that last year. She left the fourth and last time; she filed for divorce, and it was finally over and a few months later she moved out of state to live with another friend. I still despised her and I wished her ill; not just ill but all kinds of bad things to befall her. Despising is a grade of hate so I hated her.
I would pray; “Lord, I forgive her of her sins against me and I ask you to forgive her too. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen.” I knew in my heart I didn’t mean a word of it. I didn’t realize my war was with myself; not her. I would feel more guilty than a chicken killing hound for using Jesus name on a “hate prayer”. I’d have to drag up the guts to face God and pray again; “My Lord and my God, please look at my foul, anger and hate filled heart. I’m saying these things because I know I’m supposed to and that You want me to but I don’t mean it; not in my heart.
Please God, help me, I’m doing the best I can and I haven’t got it! I’m in bad shape here, Lord; I don’t see how You can stand the sight of my face because I can’t stand the sight of it either. I ask these things in Jesus name, Amen.” I prayed this prayer, or versions, or sometimes something fairly close to it, day after day, after day; the days turned into weeks, then months. Sometimes I prayed with hot anger or cold hatred; sometimes I cried with bitter tears of frustration, sometimes I yelled in panic, sometimes I mumbled in dejection. But I prayed, that’s the main thing, I prayed.
I was trying, my tiny blows were feeble but I was still swinging my puny spiritual fists in that awful, horrid fight for my life. At least once every day and once every night, I prayed because He wanted me to; still flickering weakly someplace within me was a tiny flame of desire to please God. I was doing the best I could with what little I had.
The devil was after me like a cat after a dove with a broken wing. I was his yo-yo. Oddly enough, not one Christian Brother or Sister offered heart felt comfort; or any other kind of comfort either; but they did talk, oh how they did, but never to my face and sometimes they would cross the street to avoid greeting me.
She had sowed her seeds well. That poured salt into my bloody spiritual wounds but I’d go to my grave before I showed a trace of pain on my face. It was a lonesome time. It would have meant so much if just one of them had hugged me and said; “My Brother, I know you have to be torn apart inside. I just want you to know I love you and I’m praying for you with all my heart.”
It didn’t happen. It’s odd and very painful how Christians will bayonet their own wounded in our spiritual warfare “against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”. In other words: (Psa. 15:1-5; Eph. 6:10-18 & 2Cor. 12:20) God’s army of Christians is the only army in the history of the world that bayonets their own wounded and that bayonet is their Christian tongue!
(Heb. 13:5)
Crying out to my Defender;
“Lord I’m trapped in the darkest valley, I feel so all alone.
I’m here in my house that used to be a home.
My heart is more than broken, it’s gone completely bad.
It’s filled with hate and anger and shot through with bitter sad.
I’m begging for Your rescue, from the raging inside of me.
I’m sliding into the darkness, please, please set me free.”
Then His answer so tender;
“When terror struck you down, didn’t I always quell your fears?
Didn’t I always hold you close through all your lonely tears?
All those awful times when you had fallen short,
didn’t I always defend you in heaven’s highest court?
Each time your heart was broken with sorrow’s tragic stain,
didn’t My perfect grace always cleanse your pain?
Every heartache and every grief, didn’t I deliver you?
I said I’d never leave you, didn’t I always see you through?
Take a look behind you, wasn’t I with you every time?
Take a look behind you, wasn’t I always tender kind?
Every time you called My name to your side I flew,
God’s own Son rushing to deliver helpless you!
From My bloody cross to My mighty throne,
through my blood and grace I’ll bring you home!”
Somewhere along the way God finally started turning it all around. Yes, I felt like he took His own sweet time about it but I understand now that He did it just right. Finally a time came when I realized that through His gracious mercy, lovingkindness, gentle chastisement and endless, boundless, limitless love God had healed me of my bloody, infected, soul killing spiritual wounds.
Abba held me, a man grown, to His tender bosom and I cried like a little girl and, oh, oh my precious loving God; when it was over He tenderly gave me a long, long drink from His depthless cup of blessing and I didn’t hate her any more. I felt sorry for her and I actually loved her in the sense that I love the strangers I meet and witness to on the street.
With the final, intense realization of what hell bound torment God had rescued me from I was able to pray for her with genuine forgiveness in my heart. Hell is so awful, and so forever, and so final I honestly did not wish her to go there. I sincerely felt, and feel, what she did to me was not worth her going to hell. Yes, I prayed for my Christian brothers and sisters too. I forgave them of their fear, and blindness, and uncaringness and I asked God to forgive them; and I asked Him to bless them and keep them.
God had been so merciful, so generous and so good to me in my grand march into and my slow crawl out of the clinging, quicksand, muck of stupidity and awful sin that I wanted to share His mercy with all my Christian brothers and sisters. It was impossible for me to hold mere foolishness against them when God didn’t hold my dark, horrible sins against me.
I thanked God over and over for helping me repent; (Psa. 51: 1-2 & 10-12) for cleansing me from my iniquity and transgressions; for creating in me a clean heart and a right spirit; and that He didn’t cast me away from His presence; that He restored to me the joy of my salvation and that He upholds me through His Holy Spirit. I have learned to pray that prayer regularly. My God, what if I, in my sin and stupidity, had caused me to miss heaven?
Here’s some advice. Through all the turmoil and uproar and her careful guidance my precious boys turned against me. God made me a promise; (Gal. 6:9) “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” and I hung on to that like you’d hang on to a tree in a raging flood. If they needed I went, done, or gave.
No, I didn’t let them use me; they tried once in a while but I would refuse and point out what they were doing. Yes, we had some pretty tough times but I hung on to my tree of (Gal. 6:9) for dear life. God’s promise worked. One never left and the other came back. I went to the house of the one who came back to make the all-important phone call.
God still wasn’t satisfied; there was one more thing I had to do. And, strangely enough, I was glad to do it. I arranged with my son to call her and ask if she would talk to me. She said yes and my son handed me the phone. I said I was sorry for being so mean to her and asked her to forgive me for my sins against her. Among other things, she said no.
Strangely enough it didn’t hurt; I didn’t feel elated; I just felt sad; sad that she was refusing the renewing, the peace, the joy God so freely offered. I told her I forgave her for all her sins against me and that I was praying for her. She abruptly hung up and that was the end of it. I continued to pray for her until she was found dead a few years later. I sincerely hope with all my heart that she got “things fixed up with God” and that I will find her in heaven when I get there.
I hope, with all of my being, she and our much loved son have been hugging and rejoicing all these years I have lived since that dreadful time. But I live with the awful memories and the questions; “If I’d just been a better Christian; If I’d handled things differently; If I’d been a better man and”: well, I guess some of you have been there; I hope the rest of you never go there because the hardest person to forgive is self.
(Mal. 4:2) The one who came from a place called forever with healing in his wings taught little, stupid, useless, awful me about graciousness and lovingkindness, mercy and forgiveness, tenderness and compassion; and He taught them to me in such a way they became part of me. If I live to be ten thousand years old how in the world can I ever thank my Abba, my “Daddy God”, for all that? “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
NOTE: (2Cor. 4:16) It is imperative that you understand the body, VISIBLE YOU (outward man-person) and the soul, INVISIBLE YOU (inward man-person), are two separate entities. (Luke 16:1-31) Lazarus and the rich man had died, their bodies with their brains were buried and of course they eventually decayed and the DNA disappeared into the dirt. YET: These two men lived, had emotions, communicated and felt things (comfort and pain); it was their souls doing these things because (Eccl. 3:21) their spirit of life had gone with their souls into eternity!
For a complete, in-depth scriptural study of this subject please read in “The Holy Spirit & You” commentary: the “Self“, “Science” and “Who is the Holy Spirit” articles. Please do it because it makes the following much easier to understand.
God is so merciful, gracious, kind and sympathetic that a lot of times we run right off and do not fully realize exactly what He is telling us in His Holy Word until the Holy Spirit grabs us, drags us back by the nap of the neck, puts our eyes back on a scripture and says; “Listen a minute; I’ve got something to show you!” and then He does. Many times Jesus said statements that have many meanings or various depths of the same meaning.
EXAMPLE: (Luke 20:25) “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.” We all know, I hope, this applies to whatever government you are living under and whatever denomination you are serving God under.
SO: Apply that to taxes, voting, political party affiliation, adherence to civil law, partaking of what civil law says is legal like abortion, prostitution in certain areas, lustful entertainment, unlimited consumption of alcohol and etc. ALSO: Apply that statement to denominationalism (what certain denominations believe and practice), even your own, under the scrutiny of God’s word.
Does your denomination forbid you to do things that are commanded to be done in the Holy Scriptures? Does it permit you to commit acts that are forbidden by the Holy Scriptures? Well, does it? (John 14:15-26 esp. V.18-20 and Acts chapters 1,2,3 esp. 2:47) Jesus founded a Church and (1Cor. 1:10-15 esp. V.12 & 3:1-6 esp. V.3) carnal (pertaining to the flesh, unregenerate) men founded denominations; so who is right in your opinion? Do you see how far Jesus’ little statement in (Luke 20:25) can take you?
The soul uses the brain to think and direct the body. Part of the brain is the autonomic nervous system. God made that part so we don’t have to think to breathe, digest, beat our heart, operate glands and etc. SO: the body can stay alive on its own for a while EVEN IF THE SOUL IS GONE. The evolutionist doctors and scientists call this autonomic nervous system section of our brain the reptilian brain and it is located like a little knob on top of our spinal column.
They say it is generally composed of the very top part of the spinal cord, the diencephalon and the basal ganglia, and that we inherited it from our ancestors while they were evolving from that single cell of life that “just happened” in some primordial sea-side pool. (Gen. 2:7) God said He made the human brain along with everything else as has been explained in depth in “Judging: The Authority Principal” part one. There are always decisions; to believe OR: not to believe OR: who to believe.
Jesus said; “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this?” We automatically think; “Well of course Jesus is speaking about the eternity that is waiting for God’s people where (Rev. 21:4) among other things there is no more death.” THINK ABOUT THIS: (1Chron. 21:1-13) It is a scriptural fact God is more merciful than man and His patience, mercy and kindness extend far, (1Cor. 2:9) far into the infinity that lies beyond our wildest imaginings. Please read (1Cor. 15:42-58 esp. V.55) and keep this paragraph in mind while you read the rest of this part and part #3.
FOUNDLING, CHANGLING, GLADLING
Do you know there were actually three curses placed on mankind in the Garden of Eden? They are (Gen. 3:23-24) The curse of separation; (Gen. 3:19) The curse of death; AND (Gen. 3:16-17) The curse of sorrow.
I can only write with the burdening, leading and inspiration of God. If I write words inspired by me, they will come to nothing. At all costs I must keep me out of it and depend on God. Here in this part of an article, was a strange moment of truth for me. I suppose you could call it a walk of faith or even a test of faith. I’ve never had anything like this happen to me while developing this website. Part #1 of this article was long in that I had reached the limit of characters, around 65,000, my web space provider allows per commentary article.
So he opened another space slot and I started Part #2 and, in comparison, it wasn’t very long. Then I had to leave it with the ending about the Lord’s Prayer statement given above and my provider opened a third space slot for Part #3. I “sensed” the space left on this one, Part #2, was reserved for something. During that time I “felt” that God wanted me to physically write two words on a note pad I keep at my computer desk. I did and they are Changling and Gladling; that’s all, just two words but there was a “sense” of waiting for more as I was finishing Part #3, at least I thought I was finishing it!
God knows just exactly when to show me He is in charge and that I am only the “pencil“. The third word came, Foundling, and I wrote it with a pencil on my note pad with the other two words. But, I was not allowed to write, or more correctly, there was nothing to write. These three words are not in the Holy Bible. I looked in the dictionary and found Changling and Foundling.
Gladling is simply a new word. I “wondered” if there was such a word as ling so I started searching. It is not in the Bible but it is in the dictionary. In two days three incidents happened regarding Christian friends plus the inspiration of God that has brought their meaning and usage into startling clarity and now I am “inspired” to write about the three words. The Holy Spirit speaks to a Christian’s soul in a silent voice and that man is inspired or senses or feels what God is telling him to do.
Do not forget this sentence>>>These three words, FOUNDLING, CHANGLING AND GLADLING, have shined the bright light of spiritual understanding upon THREE SPIRITUAL EVENTS that will happen at different times in the life of every Christian because the redemption Jesus provided will wipe out the three curses placed on mankind in the “fall from grace” in garden of Eden. Now you know the sequence of events that led up to this beginning that started with the six paragraphs above and ends below.
ling: One that is young, one connected with, one having a specified quality.
(Rom. 8:14-17) Foundling: A deserted child who is not known.
(Phil. 3:21) Changeling: A child secretly exchanged for another.
(Psa. 46:4 & 126:3) Gladling: A child who is beginning to understand gladness.
Jesus said; (Matt. 18:3) “Verily (truly) I say unto you, except ye be converted (turn around, to reverse direction), and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” THINK ABOUT THAT. Little child=innocence!
The salvation aspect of the definition of Grace is; (to stoop in kindness to an inferior, be merciful and have pity upon).
(Eph. 2:6) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” SO: The faith to be saved is a gift from God because of God’s grace. PROOF: (Heb. 11:6) Without faith it is impossible to please God. For a study of how God gives us the gift of faith that leads us to accepting Jesus as Saviour (saved) please see the one article commentary Breath Of Life on this website.
(John 1:14) Jesus is filled with grace.
(Heb. 10:29) The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of grace.
(Eph. 2:4-8 esp. V.7) God is grace (Psa. 86:15) because He is gracious.
(John 3:14-17; then 1John 1:1 – 2:3; then John 15:10-19 esp. V.15)
Didn’t I leave beautiful heaven
to die for your awful sin?
Didn’t I search until I found you?
Didn’t I save you and then become your Friend?”
FOUNDLING
Do you spiritually remember when you the inward person, you the soul, you the infinitely precious, living, eternal person realized you were destitute, abandoned and alone beside your road of life; (Luke 19:10 then John 6:44) the time when you really, really understood you were lost because God had revealed it to you during your time of drawing and you realized the awful reality of going to hell? Do you remember the time of your horrid realization that Satan, the devil, would destroy you if you did not accept salvation? (Matt. 18:3) This is spiritually what happened from a child’s point of view. My children were saved very young and I understand how it is for a child.
You were in a desolate place. There was no hope; cringing in terrible dread because you were lost; eaten alive by the certain, awful knowledge that you would really die and really go to hell and there was not one thing you could do to prevent it! That awful feeling of being a child, crying in terror and everything spinning out of control; helpless, hopeless, horror filled because some horrid, evil thing is stalking you like a savage, bloodthirsty, (1Pet. 5:8) ravening lion ready to slash you, and destroy you, and devour you there in your darkness.
Spiritually you can smell its sickening, rotted breath. Its glaring, reddened, hellish eyes have you paralyzed (2Cor. 11:3 & Rev. 11:9 and 20:2) like a bird serpent charmed and its low, hoarse, grunted growls turn your spiritual bones to clotted blood. Nowhere to run! No way to fight!
Then the gracious God of Glory, filled with grace, stopped by because He felt tender pity and compassion for you. With His wondrous heart bursting with immeasurable love for you He stooped in merciful kindness and extended His nail scarred hands. You, that terrified child, screaming, sobbing and clawing grabbed those beautiful nail scarred hands and held on for dear life and desperately scrambled to safety into His sheltering arms.
HOPE! HOPE! ESCAPE! (Gen. 3:23-24) REDEMPTION FROM SORROW! “OH GOD! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!” One curse from the Garden of Eden is gone and two are left! And those nail scarred hands tenderly held YOU, (Matt. 18:4) HIS FOUNDLING, close to His bosom in forgiving, tender lovingkindness while you snubbed and hiccupped the dregs of terror away. Then He gave you His name; CHRISTIAN.
You must successfully live your new life as a Christian, God’s FOUNDLING, in your REDEMPTION FROM THE CURSE OF SORROW before your CHANGLING in your REDEMPTION FROM THE CURSE OF DEATH AND YOUR GLADLING in your REDEMPTION FROM THE CURSE OF SEPARATION CAN TAKE PLACE. The first part of Part 3 tells you the scriptural, spiritual warfare you will fight as a Christian and the last part of Part 3 explains how you are redeemed from the last two curses from Eden.