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Ron's note of 5-20-10
Barbara
and I have lived our lives together by faith (the Just shall live
by Faith) and after ten years of making my living in engineering
we accepted the call of the Lord out of engineering into a walk with
Him. We did not know at the time that I would not be working at a regular job for a
living, but in less than a year and a half we found out that at least
for awhile we would be living on our savings. One year after leaving
engineering we were led to the little town where we still reside. It
is a very long story, but to shorten it, we are here now thirty-six
years; and at the end of five years here our savings had run out
(another story). Elsewhere in this website are more on this and
on what we have been doing and about my eventual writings.
This note is not about Barbara and me. The reader of this note
is surely aware of the ever growing chaotic condition of the world -
nation by nation - large and small. Though the two of us keep tabs on the news
and politics, we are not political by nature and not political in
our walk before our Lord.
In many nations large and small, already 'Just' Christians have found that
living by Biblical 'Faith' has become (or is becoming)
essential. The Biblical phrase 'the just shall live by his
faith' (which I use on many of our pages) comes from Habakkuk 2:4; the entire verse
is 'Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in
him: but the just shall live by his faith.' The prophet had begun his prophesy like this -
Habakkuk 1:1-4) The burden which
Habakkuk the prophet did see. O LORD, how long shall I cry, and
thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence [all
around me], and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou shew [all
round] me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling
and violence are before me: and there are [many] that raise up
strife and contention. Therefore the law [of God] is slacked,
and [righteous or just] judgment doth never go forth: for the
wicked [ones] doth compass about the righteous [ones];
therefore wrong judgment proceedeth [throughout the lands].
This
was the condition in Israel. And God was going to chastise not only
Israel, but also other nations that were also in chaos (see
1:5-11). By His prophets God was making this well known, Habakkuk
being only one of them. Verse 2:4 then is about the leadership of the
'bitter and hasty nation'; it was the king's soul that was
lifted up and was not upright before men or before God.
The nature of chaos is to tear down, yet chaos must build itself up
before it can fully tear down. If good men and women see chaos
building around the world (as we do) then their thoughts will be as
Habakkuk's thoughts. Thus, in a moment of thinking upon his own
preservation when his eyes had been opened wide to the chaos,
Habakkuk exclaimed 'the Just shall live by Faith'. What
else is there for a prophet of God?
What is in
your thoughts? Some are thinking of "loading up on food, guns,
gold, etc." Where we live, and the way we live, we have adequate food (no gold). Many people think that we live in
"a place of escape". Actually, we live where the Lord
thirty-six years ago placed us and we will be here only until such
time as He moves us. So, if this is "a good and safe place"
then why has the Lord caused us to 'live by faith'. No matter what
else our life together has been about, why has Biblical
faith been the glue in all of it. If it is by faith that the just
must live in these coming times then Barbara and I are in such a
life.
~~~
Hab 3:1) A prayer
of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. O LORD, I have heard
thy speech [to me], and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in
the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known;
[and] in wrath remember mercy.
Habakkuk
ends the prophesy with this prayer, for he had heard from the Lord
about what was coming (see 3:3-15). Then speaking to God and to his
readers -
Hab 3:16-19) When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips
quivered at the voice [of God]:
rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that [in
hope] I might [find]
rest in the day of trouble: when he [i.e.
the bitter and hasty king] cometh up unto the people, he
will invade them with his troops.
Although the fig tree
shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of
the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat [i.e.
food]; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there
shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my
strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make
me to walk upon mine high places.
~~~
Yet,
dear reader, the scripture does not say or imply that a Christian
must have been living by faith so as to go on living by faith. Quite
the contrary. The Apostle Paul pleaded continually with the
Christians of his day to live and walk by the Faith of Heaven which
God had already placed in each of them. If you are God's child then
you have the Faith of Heaven placed in you. The essence of Biblical
Faith is -
Hebrews
11:6) But without faith it is
impossible to please him:
for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that
he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
And so
it is with my writings. My book, God's Hook, is all about Biblical
faith, as told in many Bible stories. My book, God's Rock, is
all about one very long Bible story - the life of Moses and
the entire Epoch story.
Today in the world
there is a controversy about if and/or where Moses and the Israelites
crossed the Red Sea. My book (and its 100 pages of appendixes)
settles that argument to those who will follow along with my proofs
in scripture. However, the fundamental purpose of both books is to
encourage each Christian to have faith in his Bible, have faith in
his God, and have faith in faith itself.
Both
books are offered free in e-book form. They are for sale in printed
form (paperback and hardback). They are sold at Lulu.com (see details
and instruction elsewhere). For this summer, Lulu is offering free
shipping. Barbara and I (i.e. Christian Wilderness Press) make
nothing on these books, as the price is for the printing only. And we
offer everything on this website for free download...as 'bread
cast upon the waters'. (Ecclesiastes. 11:1)
Many are visiting this site each month (see our Statistics page);
many are reading and downloading the short Bible studies; and
many are interested in our missionary pages. We pray that you will
avail yourself of these books. Though we are about Biblical
knowledge, we are much more about Biblical faith because no matter a
Christian's knowledge, background, or leanings, he or she has
Biblical faith; for God has placed it inside.
In times like these 'the Just shall live by Faith.'
- Christian Wilderness Press -