 
A New Walk On An Old Path

The Sermon on the Mount

By Don Hatfield

Smashwords Edition Copyright 2014

I meet him by accident while walking along a dusty road on my way to Jerusalem to see the city where they had crucified my Lord. I had climbed up the hill to a place called Tagbha (some called this the place of solitude) overlooking the Sea of Galilee and he was sitting there looking out on the blue waters. I stopped and said hello and we began to exchange a few pleasantries about the weather and the scenery. I told him my name was Isaac and that I was a believer in the Way of Jesus the risen Savior. I was hoping to share my faith with him when he said the strangest thing, "It was here." I asked him, "What was here. Did something happen here?" He turned his face up towards mine and said, "It was here that He gave the instructions for the new way and my new walk. It was here that He spoke to us the disciples and to the multitudes who were so hungry to hear Him." He then said would you like to hear what your Savior said to them?" I stood looking at him as the realization began to set in that this man had been with Jesus. He let me stand there in my astonishment for a minute and then smiled and said my name is James. He then patted the soft grass beside him and said sit down and I will tell you what He said that day.

I sat down beside the man named James. His hair was gray, his face wrinkled showing signs of wear that seemed to be way beyond his age. There were scars on his arms and legs where he had been beaten with the whips of hatred. But his eyes glowed with a light that shined straight from heaven and his voice sang with the praises of his Savior. He then began a discourse that changed my life and the way that I lived it. I will do my best to tell it to you as James told it to me. This is the way that he began.

James said that it was a beautiful day as they came to the top of the hill and as they looked down the hillside it was covered with people waiting for Jesus to come and speak with them. It was the perfect spot for the Sea of Galilee was behind the people making it easy for them to hear Him. James said that Jesus sat down just about where we were sitting. Just the thought of that sent holy chills down my arms to think that I could be sitting right in the very same spot that Jesus sat. I realized that James knew how I felt because he put his arm around my shoulder and gave me a brotherly hug. James began again and said, "Jesus called us all around Him and when we sat down the whole multitude of people also sat down." When he told me this a soft warm breeze began to blow over my shoulders out towards the blue waters of the Sea of Galilee. James spoke softly and said, "It was the same on that day. The people became so quiet that you could have heard a piece of straw fall and hit the ground." James said that Jesus then began to speak and the first words that came from Him were the following, "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." He looked at me and said, "Isaac, may I explain to you what Jesus meant when He said these things to us as we all sat there. May I give you a little more understanding of those heavenly words that He spoke to us on that day?" I shook my head again for it was at that moment that I knew my life and the way that I lived it would never again be the same.

He then began by saying, "That word blessed can also mean happy. So you might think what a strange way to start speaking to people by telling them that the poor are blessed. Isaac, when Jesus said that He meant that you by believing in Him may not have any wealth of learning and you may not be cultured as the world believes culture to be. But when you are poor in spirit you are fitted to learn of Christ and to lay hold of His heavenly treasures. Because of that you can lay hold of His royal power and His royal dignity that will be bestowed upon believers in His royal Kingdom. This royalty will be given you in the heavens where God dwells and Jesus is seated on His royal throne." At this I could not help but said to James, "Oh, let me be the poorest of beggars in this world that I might be the richest of royalty in His Kingdom." James said, "That is a prayer that your Father will continually answer if you will always remember that your wisdom and learning is always dependent on His teaching and guidance."

I then said to James please tell me more of that day. James then spoke these words of Jesus, "Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. Isaac, again He used that word blessed or happy and again He used it in a strange context. He said happy or blessed are those that mourn. What does mourning mean to you Isaac?" I said I guess it means to lament or wail over something that has happened." James then said, "As a believer with a spot reserved for you in Heaven why you would possibly be mourning?" I sat there for a moment and then a picture of my mother and father came into my mind. I could imagine myself going to heaven and a large book being opened with names in alphabetical order written down. I was thrilled as I read my name but as I scanned down the page for my mother and father their names were not to be found. Tears began to fill my eyes as I looked at James and he knew what I was feeling and thinking. James said, "Isaac we will need much comforting. We will need much consoling. We will need our Father to wrap His arms around us and hold us. He will, Isaac, He will and our tears will be forever dried as we walk with Him in eternity. Pain will be replaced with joy, sorrow with laughter, mourning with comfort." I said to James, "What about now?" James looked and me and said, "Do you not know that the comforter is with you now?" Have you not learned that He abides with and in you now? It was then that I knew that was one of the reason Jesus had to die and rise again. Yes, I knew that He had to die for our sins. But because He came in the likeness of us He could not be everywhere at once. In dying and rising again He came back to join us in our spirit's. Glory to God, He lives in me and gives me comfort now. Again I said to James, "Oh may I mourn for souls to know Him while He comforts my mourning with His presence." James and I both just looked to the throne of Heaven and praised Him for a few minutes.

We were brought back down to earth by a herd of sheep singing there song down below on the hillside. We watched as the shepherd drove them along and they meekly followed his bidding. James smiled and said those sheep bring us to what Jesus said next. "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." I said to James explain this meekness to me for when you use that word it makes me think of being cowardly. Yet I know that my Savior was anything but that." James said, "Isaac many will think the same thing but that is not what He meant at all. For as you said our Savior was the bravest of the brave. Let me explain it to you in these words. To be meek is to have that disposition in our spirits in which we accept His dealings with us as for our good. Instead of disputing or resisting His dealings we come to trust Him as the sheep do their shepherd knowing that wherever He is leading it will result in rest and peace for us. The shepherd is always leading his sheep to the green pastures by the still waters. If we following the shepherd of our souls we too shall inherit it even while still here on earth. We will be partakers of our place here on the earth. Though we are strangers here we will come to occupy our promised land here on this earth. The promise land of peace and rest in our souls. Yes, even a place of peace here on earth, a land of peace with boundaries fixed by the Holy Spirit and as we learn not to cross them we will become more and more content with the fields that He gives us to graze in." James stopped and asked, "Isaac would you be one of the meek ones?" I said, "Yes I do want to be one of the meek sheep."

James smiled a gentle smile and then said, "Then you are going to get hungry for the way to the green pastures is through the desert." I know that I looked puzzled and I asked, "What do you mean?" James then told me what Jesus said next, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled." James looked and me and said, "Isaac, it is amazing how we fool ourselves after we come to know the Savior. We seem to think that the journey is now ended when it has only just begun. In our foolish souls we often think that we know much about Him when we do not know Him at all. The proof of that is the fact that we do not seek to know Him. When He stood here on this hill on that sunny day and said those words He was telling us what we must do to know Him. To be blessed we must get hungry. You must seek with an eager desire to know Him. This hunger must be the first thing in your life. Isaac, to be filled or to be satisfied with righteousness we must be hungry to have it. We must also thirst. To be thirsty for righteousness is to be painfully aware of our need of the things by which the soul is refreshed, supported and strengthen. Are you hungry and thirsty for righteousness Isaac? If you are then I will tell you what righteousness is?" I looked out on that Sea shimmering in distance. My spirit was filling to the brim as James talked of Jesus and my soul was saying, Yes, Yes, I must be filled. I just sat there in my silence unable to speak. After about three or four minutes James said, "I know that you are hungry and thirsty my young believer and so I will tell you what righteousness is. Righteousness is what we ought to be. It is when our lives are filled with integrity, virtue, purity of life, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting." I turned to James with tears in my eyes and said, "Now I know why we must be hungry and thirsty for these things cannot be had without seeking the one who has them." James nodded and said, "The Holy Spirit has revealed this to you. Stay hungry and thirsty and you will be filled."

I smiled and said, "I am ravished for both drink and food. Will you nourished me some more with the bread and drink from Heaven as you heard it on that day?" James laughed and said of course and then spoke, "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." James looked at me and said, "Isaac the word mercy means to help one who is afflicted. To reach out to one who is seeking aid. When Jesus came looking for you did you realize that you needed His mercy? Did you realize that you were afflicted by sin and needed someone greater than yourself to come to your aid?" I again remembered that day when I had prayed for God to have mercy on my miserable afflicted sin sick soul. I thought about how His mercy to me has been new every day since then. I said to James, "I think that to be merciful we must look for those who are afflicted. But I also think that we must be careful because if we just help them without pointing them to the Savior then we have only put a band aid on their eternal misery." James said, "You are right Isaac for to help someone without pointing them to the Savior can actually lead them to depend more and more on man and become more and more hardened to the Holy Spirits advances. If we do that we are not showing them mercy at all. We are only clearing a path to Hell for them. A path that leads to no mercy for it leads away from the merciful one."

We were both quiet for a few minutes. I thought how often we think that we are helping God when we are only hindering Him. I prayed that the Lord would let me be merciful but at the same time let me pray for His guidance as I show mercy to others. May the mercy I show always point them to Him who is the merciful one? The one who can save them from the fires of Hell by His mercy. James then spoke very quietly and said, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Isaac, we shall see Him in all His glory. What a day that will be but to do so we must also become pure as He was pure. We must be free from corrupt desire we must be purified by His cleansing fire as He was pure from the stain of sin. Isaac, we shall be pure because He will prune us with His shears of holiness. We will be cleansed by His pruning. Our hearts will be cleansed from its evil passions, its corrupt desires. Our affections will be purified, our thoughts made conformable to His. Our purpose, endeavors, and plans brought into conformity to His will and character. Yes, then Isaac, then we shall behold Him there on His throne. We shall bow down to the one who came down from His heavenly home so that we might be pure again in His sight. Isaac, does your heart not melt within you at the thought of it." As the tears began to run down my cheeks I look to the heavens and said," Oh, Jesus you will have to make me pure for I will never be pure enough to enter your glorified presence." James said, "He will and He has for with Him all things are possible." Just then the sun went behind a cloud and this caught James and my attention. James said, "Look like the sun is covered by the cloud as He was covered by our sin." Then the sun began to come out from behind the cloud in all of its blazing glory. Though it was very warm chills went up and down my arm. Then the sun began to take away those chills as I felt its purifying heat on me. Glory to God I shouted. I shall be pure and I shall behold Him. James and I both raised our arms to the Son and gave thanksgiving to the one who would outshine the sun.

"Tell me more of that day, James. Let me hear more of what my Savior said to the people." James told me that the next thing that Jesus said was," Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God." I stopped him and said, "I hear that Jesus said believing in Him would not bring peace but would cause even families to fight against one another. How then can we be peacemakers and cause dissension at the same time?" James responded, "I know that it sounds contradictory but it is not. Let me explain. Jesus was a peacemaker He came to bring peace between God and man. He knew that would not happen with everyone for the wicked would hate the peace that He offered for they would have to give up their sin. Isaac, you would think that if we tried to be peacemakers that mankind would love us but that is not so. For the god of this world hates the God of our world. However just as Jesus came to bring peace we should also strive to keep peace not only with those outside the church but also with those inside the church. If we try to keep this peace between all without comprising our belief's then we shall be called Gods children." I said to James, "I understand but it sounds as if our peacemaking is going to bring problems just as it did to Jesus." James said, "That is why Jesus then said what He said next. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. It will bring problems Isaac but that is no reason not to proclaim the Gospel of peace. When men trouble, harass and mistreat you then you are blessed because men without knowing it are conferring upon you dignity. You are actually partaking of the Kingdom of Heaven." I looked at James and said, "Do I have to be happy about it. I think I will find it very difficult to like it when men are treating me badly. When they are pursuing me so that they can be hostile to me." James said, "You are right for none of us can feel blessed when these things happen to us unless the Holy Spirit can do a supernatural work in our souls."

I sat there in the silence of the moment and prayed and confessed to my Father. I knew that within me there was no power to be what Jesus said I should be. I prayed that Jesus would open my eyes to His power so that I might see the blessedness that James was talking about. James began to laugh as he sat next to me. He looked at my puzzled and perplexed face and began to laugh even harder. Then he got me to laughing because he was laughing. Through his laughter he then said, "It gets worse." I said, "Oh no!" He then began to laugh even harder and rolled over on his side because he was laughing so hard. He again through his laughter said, "It gets worse but it gets better at the same time." I said, "How can that be?" After a while we both settled down and he began to explain with Jesus's next statement. James then spoke these words, "I will tell you the worse things first. This is what Jesus said next, blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Isaac, Jesus stood on that hill and told us we were blessed when men would criticize and denounce us because of Him. Blessed also are you when they mistreat and run after you to do so for His sake. Blessed are you when men lie about you and make up deliberate lies about you because of Jesus." James said that does not sound like much to be happy or blessed about does it Isaac? I said, "It sure doesn't but you said it would get worse and then better. What is the better, James?" James smiled and said, "The better and the blessed is in what Jesus said next. Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven. Isaac, every rebuke, every insult, or slap is recorded by Jesus in Heaven. There is nothing that is not noted by God in which His Son is honored. God Himself will bestow the rewards on us. The time we spend here is so short when compared with the time of eternity. We may rejoice that our God does not forget us. Isaac, Jesus then went on to say for so they persecuted the prophets which were before you. We are held in the same honor with the great prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah. Now can you say and Amen." I not only said and Amen but finished it with a glory to God. To think that God would so honor a small saint such as I and to be held in the same esteemed as His prophets if I would only yield to Him. Once more I said Glory to God.

James then said, "Isaac, do you see that you are blessed? Do you see that He is the only one who can bring you to the place where these blessings are true in you?" I responded, "I am so glad that I stopped here today and met you James. I do not think that I really had any idea of what our Father is asking us to be like. He wants us to be like Jesus and the only way we can be is to let Him have full reign in our lives. I want to do that so that when I meet Him in heaven He will say well done Isaac. James, was that all He said on that day to all the people." James smiled and said, "No Isaac we have only just begun." Tell me more was my response. James said, "Okay, I will tell you what He said we as His followers should be like. I have told you how to be blessed and now I will tell you what He said we should resemble. Jesus's next statement on that day was this. Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt has lost its savor wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. Do you know anything about salt Isaac?" It just so happened that I did for my uncle had been a butcher. I told James that yes I knew a little about it. He then said tell me what you know. I then said to James," My uncle told me that salt to him was special because first it was a symbol of agreement between people. The reason it was a symbol was because it protects food from spoiling and preserves it unchanged." Then a thought occurred to me and I said, "I think Jesus was saying that we Christians as the salt of the earth are preserving His image here. We are His salt, seasoned by His grace, preserved by His power, kept from spoiling by His blood. He looks down from Heaven and sees us scattered all over the earth. We look up and He just keeps sprinkling His grace, His power, His blood, His wisdom, His righteousness on us." James said, "Glory to God who holds the salt shaker that never runs dry." We both laughed and James said," But what happened when the salt your uncle used set to long at the bottom of barrel." I then saw what James was getting at and responded. "It would lose it savor. It would become flat and tasteless. It would have no strength or power." James then asked, "What would your uncle do with it?" Then I saw what Jesus was saying and I looked at James and said, "He would throw it out on the floor where it would be crushed by men. They would walk on it and take no noticed of it for it had lost its usefulness." James then asked, "Do you think that can happen to us as believers?" I not only knew the answer but saw the danger and replied, "I know it can for it happened to others that I have heard of. Men like King Saul and Samson. How can I prevent this from happening to me James?" You tell me he responded. I sat there for a moment looking down at the earth and then all of a sudden it clouded up and a raindrop fell on my face. I looked up into sprinkling rain and then I began to praise the Lord. I turned to James and with a voice filled with emotion I said, "Stay at the top of bag. Keep looking up and if I do that than just like this rain is sprinkling on me now Jesus will keep sprinkling His grace on me. If I keep looking up I will not have to worry about losing my savor for it will just keep refreshing itself from the shaker that never runs out." It then began to pour down and as we got up to run for shelter James laughingly said, "I think the lid fell off of that shaker for it is pouring grace all over me. Praise His Holy name."

We ran and took shelter in a small shepherd's lean too and sat down together. I said to James, "I have got to hear more because I want to soak in all of the salt that I can get." The rain stopped. The sun begin to shine again after the brief shower and James said, "Isaac, Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Not only did Jesus compare us to salt but He also compared us to light. Isaac, just as we are to be continually sprinkled with the salt of His grace we are also to let the light of truth and knowledge shine out from us. Wherever we are placed in this world we are the light in that place. We were destined and appointed by God Himself to be there shinning pure with a brilliant quality." I said, "I want to shine on the hillside like that James. I want people to see my light." James then said, "many will say that Isaac, but a lot will not do it because the next words Jesus said were these. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it gives light unto all that are in the house. I am afraid that many will want to receive the salt but will not want to let their light out. They will be lite by the light of the Holy Spirit but no one will know. For instead of proclaiming the one who is the light of the world they will sit silently in a corner. They will peek out from under the bushel on Temple days and then hide the rest of the week in their houses. They should be giving light in their house's and workplaces all of the week instead of just peeking out from under worldly disguises on the days of the Temple. Isaac, do not be like them for they will have little reward in Heaven. Be as Jesus's next words tell us to be, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Let His grace so season you that men will perceive with their eyes and hear with their ears the light that has invaded you soul. It is then that you will cause the dignity and worth of Jesus to become manifested and acknowledged." I must admit that I felt ashamed because I knew there were times when I did hide my light. Times when I laughed at what I should not have laughed at. Times when I kept quiet when I should have shined. Times when instead of letting the savor come out I let my salt be trampled on. I ask my Father to forgive me and to show me how to stand on the hillside always shinning.

James then asked me a question, "Isaac, you know many of the commandments don't you? I replied, "Probably not as well as I should but yes I do know a lot of them." James then responded, "many think that Jesus has come to do away with the law but that is not so. He came to fulfill the law and do as the prophets of old said what must be done. Listen to what He said on that day and then tell me what you think. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. Tell me what you think of those words Isaac." I actually was astounded for I had heard from many that one of the reasons they had crucified Jesus was because He was trying to do away with the laws that Moses had given. I sat there for a few moments and then said to James, "I think that Jesus was saying that He did not come to overthrow or render vain or bring to naught the law. Because the law is what brings about a state approved by God in a person. As a matter of fact Moses as one of the prophets said that by observing the law we pleased God." I stopped for a moment and then by God's grace I saw it. I looked at James and said, "Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. He caused God's will which was known by the law to be obeyed as it should be and God's promises which He gave through the prophets to receive fulfillment in Himself." Glory to God what a revelation I exclaimed. James then said, "Jesus went on to explain more about the law when He said the following. For verily I say unto you. Till heaven and earth pass away one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law till all be fulfilled. Isaac, those men who crucified Jesus claimed they did so because He made Himself equal with God. Yet He proved over and over again that He was God come in the flesh. He died so that all could partake of His wonderful grace and forgiveness but just as those men were wrong I am afraid that those who come after will be wrong. They will act as if His grace gives them license to sin instead of power to cease from sin. If they do that are they not crucifying Him all over again? What do you think Isaac?" Again I sat there and thought about what Jesus had said. Again I answered by His words and said, "James, He said the law would not be done away with. As a matter of fact He said not even the smallest part of the law would be done away with. He said that heaven and earth would have to pass away before the law would be done away with. Explain more to me James for I think others also will be confused. If He is saying that we cannot keep the law and yet it still stands how in the world can we be made righteous?" James smiled at this and said, "My young friend you are perplexed and yet you are closer to the answer than you think. Let me continue with His next words. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Isaac, the person who does away with the smallest of these laws and worse teaches others the same shall be shocked when faced with the judgment. For he will not only be standing in judgment for the things that he has done but the things that he has led the others to do. What a fearful day that will be for many. But on the other hand if you by the power of the Christ do the things that are in the commandments and show others the way to the one who is empowering you to keep them. Then you will be delighted at the blessings that God pours forth on you. You will be delighted for by allowing Him to empower you and guide you His blessings will fall.

James then became quiet and just sat there looking out to the sea. After a few moments I asked him what he was thinking about. He said, "Oh Isaac, if only you could have been there on that day. It was so quiet that even in the midst of all those people you could have heard the sound of a feather floating down to the earth. It was as if even the birds and all the other animals were listening. Isaac what He said next literally brought a gasp from some in the crowd." I said, "James what in the world did He say to bring that about?" James responded with the following, "Isaac, Jesus began to tell us what He expected of His followers and all of us were scared for we knew that we could not live up to His requests. Here is the first thing He said. For I say unto you except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and the Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. I was shocked Isaac, for He was saying that in order for me to be acceptable to God not only must my life be full of integrity, virtue, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting but that it had to exceed or be superior to the Scribes and Pharisees who are our religious leaders." I stopped him there and said, "James, I have seen the Scribes and the Pharisees but I know little about them other than they are our leaders in religious matters. If my righteousness is supposed to exceed theirs then tell me a little about them if you can." James then said, "Isaac, the Scribes are men learned in the Mosaic Law and in the sacred writings. They are interpreters and teachers. They examine the more difficult questions of the law. They are supposed to do this with honesty and integrity. The Pharisees are always going about doing things that can be seen such as ceremonial washings, fasting's, public prayers and alms giving. Now here is the good part. After I began to think on the things that He was saying I began to see things a little differently. Jesus was saying that the Scribes and the Pharisees did the things they did for the praise of men. He was actually saying if you follow their righteousness and pretense you would never get into Heaven." Again I stopped James and ask, "What did the Scribes and Pharisees who were in the crowd do?" James laughed and said, "Some stomped off. Others tried to silence Jesus but the crowd would not let them and some actually looked as if they were smitten in heart at the things He said. It was then Isaac, that I realized that Jesus was going to show us another way back to our Father. A new way. He then began to tell us the true way to Heaven and what we needed to be like to get there."

James then said, "Isaac the things I am about to relate to you can only be done through the power and grace of Jesus. Do not be discouraged if you stumble and fall only keep going back to the throne of grace and seeking your Father and you will see Him fulfill His life in yours. Here is what He said about the commandment of thou shall not kill. Ye have heard it was said by them of old time thou shall not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of judgment. Isaac, Jesus had more to say about this commandment but let me tell you about this part of what He related to us first. From the beginning God said thou shall not kill. You should not commit murder but remember He is talking about plotting to kill someone. We do have the right to defend ourselves Isaac if being attacked. Some will take this statement and distort it saying that even if attacked and our children and wives are being slaughtered we should not defend ourselves but that is not so. Jesus said that the commandment said that we should not commit murder and whosoever did so shall make himself worthy of judgment and punishment. Isaac as we sat here on this hillside listening Jesus threw out something that made us all stop right in our tracks. For after He said that about murder and we were all agreeing with Him, He then said this. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment and being brought before the judges who decide matters here on the local level. I stopped James and ask what He meant when He said without cause. James said, "Remember Cain and Able, Isaac. Remember how Cain was angry with Able because Able did the right thing and brought the right offering to God while Cain did the wrong thing and brought the wrong offering to God. Isaac, often we get angry with others when they are doing the right things and we are doing the wrong. We get angry with others when we think they are being blessed and we are not. Jesus wants us to honestly ask ourselves why we are angry with a person. Is there any justification for that anger and often there is not." I then asked James if Jesus said any more about anger and here is what he told me. "Yes Isaac, He did much more for He then said. Whosoever shall say to his brother or anyone Raca and empty headed shall be in danger of being brought before the Sanhedrin for all of us consider that word a term of reproach." James then looked at me with a solemn look and said, "Jesus then said if you call a man a fool and godless Isaac you yourself are in danger of hell" With that statement I almost gasped out loud. I said, "We could be in danger of hell for calling someone a fool or godless. What can we do if this happens James?" He responded, "You get your heart right with your Father Isaac and here is how He told us to do that. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remember that thy brother ought against thee leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way. First be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift." I stopped James and said, "In other words quit pretending that you are right with God when you are really not. Get honest in your life with others and get honest in your life with God." James smiled and said, "Your light is beginning to shine Isaac."

Isaac, there will be many troubles and problems in this world but we may avoid many of them if we follow Jesus's sayings. If we follow His sayings and do not get bogged down in our problems with men then we will have time to be involved with the things of God. Here is one of the things Jesus said to try to do when dealing with men. Agree with thy adversary quickly while thou are in the way with him. Isaac, when we have a dispute with someone do not get in a huff but go to them with a peaceable spirit and try to work things out in a manner worthy of your position in Christ. Do not be full of pride for we all think that we are right in disputes. If you will not go to them then Jesus said that the following could happen to you. Your adversary or so called enemy could deliver thee to the judge and the judge deliver thee to the officer and thou be cast into prison and truly you will be there until you have paid the uttermost farthing. Then as you sit there in your cell be it a literal cell or a perceived one you will ask yourself a question. Was it worth it? Because of your pride you have deprived yourself of the freedom to proclaim the gospel for you may be all alone. Jesus knew that our purpose in life was to proclaim the forgiveness of God through His cross not to win a lawsuit. Sometimes no matter what you do and how hard you try to avoid them Isaac they may still come but when that happens instead of pride for a lawyer you will have Mediator who knows the judge personally" I said to James, "I have so much to learn about this walking with Jesus tell me more of what He told you on that day."

Isaac, what Jesus said next knocked what wind most of us had left right out of our sails. This is what He said, ye have heard it said by them of old time. Thou shall not commit adultery. Isaac, when Jesus said that you could hear some of the people in the crowd mutter and say, yes we know the law and follow it. One even shouted out I have followed this all of my life who are you to tell me of righteousness? At this point many in the crowd began to puff their sails up with the winds of their so called knowledge. But here is what He then said, but I say unto you whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." I just stared at James for what he said that Jesus said was actually moving the commandments up a notch. He was saying that the mental act was as sinful as the physical act. He was saying that to see with the mind's eye was just as lustful as doing the actual thing. That to have a desire for or to covet her was to have her. James sat there quietly and did not say anything for a long time. Then he looked at me and then ask me a question. "Isaac to look upon another man's wife or any woman in that way is called what?" I stood there for a moment and then I saw it and responded. "That is to covet" Then James ask me this question. "To covet is to what?" He then answered his own question. "Isaac, to covet is to break another commandment. Have you ever coveted anything Isaac?" How could I not say yes for if I said no then I would break another commandment? Finally I nodded my head yes and said, "What then can a person do? James responded, "Jesus answered that very question with His next words and here they are Isaac. And if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell." I must have looked stunned for James said, "I am just repeating to you what Jesus said on that day." After a few minutes of complete silence I said to James, "I do not think that we have any idea of what eternity is going to be like? James said, "No, I do not think that we do. Isaac, Jesus added even more to that statement with these words. If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is more profitable that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body be cast in Hell. Anything Isaac that causes us to stumble. Anything that causes us to start to distrust and desert the One who gave all for us should be treated in such a manner. If we as His children could just look towards eternity we would see how meaningful this statement is for Jesus said if this eye, hand or anything would keep you from coming to me then in light of eternity without me how much worth does it have." I felt ashamed for as I looked at my own life I could see how many times I had placed the worth of certain things above the worth of my Savior. I felt ashamed for those things were not big things like eyes and hands but little things like keeping quiet when I should have spoken up. Things like putting my daily activities ahead of my time with my Savior. I confessed this to James and he admitted that he had done the same kind of things. So together on the side of that hill where Jesus had spoken we bowed our heads and ask Him to forgive us and to teach us to put Him and our Father first, always first and ahead of all things in our life.

After we had prayed we walk down to the seashore and sat down by the edge of the sea. As I looked out at the waves quietly speaking as they made their way to shore I ask James to continue. He began again with these words, "It hath been said whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication causes her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery." James then looked at me and said, "Isaac, we must as believers quit following all the little man made things that we as men have made up. These little laws and escape clauses that we write into God's grace must come to a stop. We put them in place so that we can have an excuse for our sin and then say it is alright to do them and God's blessing is upon it. There could be nothing further from the truth for God always does the right thing and if we were really seeking Him we too would do the right thing. Instead of going to Him for council we go to other men just like ourselves pretending that we are going to them for council when we are really just wanting them to go along with our sin." I said to James, "God is looking for real people isn't He? He is looking for the heart because He will put His law in our heart and as we yield to Him then we will become like Him. It is by His power and His grace that we will do the right thing."

James smiled and responded, "Isaac, not only are you learning of our Savior but you have led me to the very next thing that Jesus said. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, thou shall not forswear thyself but shall perform unto the Lord thy oaths. Isaac, men have said that you should do as you say you are going to do. Do not swear that you are going to do a deed just to impress others when in your heart you know that you are not going to do it. Many times we even swear that we are going to do something with the intention of doing it and then actually never do it. On that day when Jesus stood here He said something completely different. He said to all of us but I say unto all of you swear not at all neither by heaven for it is God's throne. Nor by the earth for it is His footstool neither by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great King. Isaac, why do you think He said those words?" I thought about those words for a moment and then my mind seem to zero in on just one of them the word swear. Then I began to see a little of what Jesus was talking about. I responded to James, "To swear is to guarantee or affirm that something is true and that it is exactly the case. Or perhaps to vow or pledge to do something such as saying to someone I swear I will never tell. To do that and swear to heaven or to the earth or to Jerusalem is to vow to something that belongs to God. As a matter of fact I think that it might be full of self-pride for us to think that we could swear about anything because none of this belongs to us but it all belongs to God and He is just gracious enough to let us use it." With that I stopped and look at James hoping that I had come close to seeing what Jesus meant. James said Isaac, "Have you ever heard the term hit the nail on the head?" I smiled and tapped my head and nodded yes. "Well, Isaac you hit it with your statement because Jesus even took it a step farther than swearing by Heaven or earth when He said, neither shall thou swear by thy head because thou cannot make one hair black or white." Again I asked James, "then what should we do?" James said, "We should do just as Jesus said we should let our communication be yea, yea or nay, nay for whatsoever is more than this comes of evil. Isaac, when we jump in and start rattling off our opinions when they have not been ask for we often end up slandering or gossiping about things that we have no business talking about. We must be very careful and learn to control these tongues of ours. No, let me take that back we must learn yield these minds of ours to the Spirit and we will avoid many rash and uncalled for problems."

I said to James, "When Jesus spoke that day He was introducing a whole new way of thinking. Most of what you have told me is completely the opposite of the way that I have been taught to think. How in the world will I ever get this nature of mine to think in the way that Jesus would have me to think? James, it just seems impossible." James answered back, "It is impossible Isaac and that is just where we believers go wrong. When we see the impossible most of us give up instead of going to the one who makes all things possible. He has given us His Spirit and if we will just admit that we cannot do it and look to Jesus in heaven to do it. We will be amazed that His Spirit that dwells in us will do it." I felt like my head was spinning round and round after James said that. I know I looked perplexed and puzzled but what He said next brought me back to reality. He smiled and said, "Isaac, reduced to its simplest terms just keep looking to the throne of grace where our Savior sits and He will do what you and I cannot. Let me go on with what Jesus said that day and as you call it His new way of thinking. He said to all of us who were there ye have heard it that it has been said an eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth but I say unto you that ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek turn to him the other also. Isaac, Jesus was not saying that justice should not be served or that we should just set by and watch our families or friends be killed. But He was saying to just seek revenge for every little matter is not the right thing to do. Sometimes, no, many times it is better to ask yourself this question when offended or done wrong. In the course of my life if I take this action to defend myself or revenge myself how much will it matter when my life is all over? On the other hand if I just let it go perhaps God may in some way use it to bring someone else to the Savior. Isaac, Jesus made this even clearer when He said, and if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat let him have thy cloke also. Whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with him two. Give to him that ask and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away. Isaac love as you have been loved by your heavenly Father. Give as it has been given to you from your Savior Jesus. Lead as you are being led by the Holy Spirit. Again Isaac always be ready to reconcile, always be ready to take the lowest place, always be ready to put others first. Most of all keep looking at the throne for this grace and power for that is the only place you will find enough of it to live this new way as you call it."

I stood there a different man with a different way of thinking. I knew I had miles to go for the end of the journey and the end of my learning would only end when I knelt in front of my Savior. It was then that I decided that I wanted to be more than a believer for I had come to the place where I wanted to be a disciple for I knew that only Jesus could satisfy this longing that He had put in my heart to live in this new way. James interrupted my thoughts when he said, "Isaac, here is something else to add to your new way of thinking. Jesus said you have heard that it has been said thou shall love thy neighbor and hate thy enemy. But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that which despitefully use you. Isaac we Jews have always felt special because God has chosen us as His people. We have always favored each other more than any other nation because of that. That day Jesus told us that this kind of thinking was not the way. We should love those who are not of our nation even if they do not love us for we can see the end of matter which is eternity. We know or should know that eternity is waiting for each and every person and we must all stand before God. Though we as believer's are sometimes now threaten, accused falsely and insulted we should pray for all men to come to know their Savior. Heaven forbid that as we take our blessed place with the Savior that we should see the face of one who we could have prayed for or spoken to about Jesus come up before us. Jesus has broken those chains of hatred and by His cross said that all whether black or white, Jew or Gentile need to know of His forgiveness." Again a slap in the face with the words of truth. I could see how wrong I had been for most of my life even after coming to know Jesus. I asked James if we could pray that God would open my heart to others as He had opened His heart to me. James and I prayed their on that hillside asking forgiveness for our blindness.

After praying James said, "Isaac, if we let Jesus have His way with us we will receive a wonderful blessing." I said, "After seeing how shallow I am I could use a blessing please tell me about it." James then told me what Jesus said next," That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. Isaac we who have come to know our Savior have become special to God in that He esteems us as sons whom He loves, protects and benefits above all others." I stopped James and said, "I do not understand because if He esteems, loves, protects and benefits above all others then why are we persecuted and hated so much by so many. "Why? James responded and then he ask, "Isaac, why did Jesus have to go to the cross." I responded, "To get pardon for our sins." James said, "Yes that is true but if we the Jews had obeyed God's laws we would have drawn the unbelievers to us because of the blessing's God bestowed upon us from our obedience. Did we do that?" I shamefully had to say no and then added we failed miserably. Then I saw a little of what James and the Lord were trying to reveal to me. I said, "Adam, disobeyed though blessed beyond measure. We have disobeyed even with the promise of blessings beyond measure. Jesus had to take different measures and those measures were the found in the cross and sufferings. This new way is found by seeing that no matter how much God blesses us. No matter how good He is to us we will never respond unless we see our need for His salvation. It is not in our blessings that we find Him but in our need that He is discovered. James, I came to believe when I had come to the end of myself and my life had become a mess. It was then in my sin and sorrow that I saw that no matter how successful I could become I would always be a failure in my soul and spirit. When I tell others of my Father I always point them to their need not there blessings. I show that I am one of His children by loving Him even when I am not blessed. Praise God may I learn this new way so that my Father will be pleased with me as He was delighted in my Savior." James stared at me for a moment and then said, "Isaac that was wonderful. I can see that our Father is revealing Himself to you. What you just stated only reinforces what Jesus said next for He said that God our Father in Heaven still shows His grace to all in that He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Isaac, He has left this measure of His grace so that perhaps man will still respond to God's blessing in nature. If he does then I believe that God will move mountains to bring that man the good news of Jesus."

James stopped and took a long drink from His flask and then offered the same to me. As we looked down the hillside a small troop of Roman soldiers were passing by. One of them looked our way and James waved to him in a friendly fashion. I was surprised because earlier James had told me that he had been whipped by some soldiers for talking of Jesus. I asked him how he could wave at the soldier. Were you just mocking and pretending with that wave I asked. James looked at me in a surprised fashion and said, "Just when I think you are learning Isaac you take a step backwards" This surprised me and I said in an offended tone what do you mean by that?" James said I will answer that question with the words that Jesus then spoke to us on that day. For it you love them that love you what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only what do ye more than others do? Do not even the publican so?" If there had been a mouse hole there on that hillside I think that I felt small enough that I could have crawled into it. I have no doubt that my face had turned a crimson red. Tears came into my eyes and I turned my head away from James so that he would not see them. I sat there in my shameful silence. I then felt his hand on my shoulder and in a soft voice he said, "Isaac, Jesus then said to all of us who also had our heads hung in shame. Be ye therefore perfect even as you Father which is in heaven is perfect. Isaac by perfect He meant grow up be mature full of integrity and virtue. Let nothing be lacking in your walk with Jesus." I said to James, "I want that James but I do not know how to be it."

James answered, "Isaac none of us know how to be it as you call it. There are no natural Christians. We would all be better off if we could just admit that we do not know instead of pretending that we do know. When we put on that pretense the Spirit of God that resides within us cannot teach us for He desires truth in the inward man, in the heart and in the will." I looked at James and said, "Then there is a chance for me?" He smiled and said, "for all of us Isaac for we have a mighty God who is willing to teach His children how to know and follow Him. As a matter of fact Jesus's next words on that day to begin to show and teach us what we must do to learn of Him. Here is what He said Isaac, take heed that ye do not do your alms before men to be seen of them. Isaac we all love to be seen and noticed. Is this not true? We all like pat's on the back and to be told what wonderful people we are. But we should know better for if it were not for Christ in us we are nothing more than the worst murderer given the right circumstances. Jesus went on to say, if you do not take heed then you have no reward of your Father in Heaven. Therefore when thou does thy alms do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you they have their reward." I said to James, "But how will I know if I am doing that? I have found that often I can even fool myself." James said, "You speak the truth Isaac for we can often fool ourselves but we cannot fool the Christ that dwells within us. I promise you that if you are truly seeking Him, He will reprove and correct you if you listen. But you at least know now where to start?" I said, "Yes, you are right I know where to start tell me more." James said, "Jesus gave some more instruction on this when He said. But when thou does alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does. That thy alms may be in secret. What do you think He meant by that Isaac?" I stood there for a minute perplexed because I was thinking how could my left hand not know what my right hand was doing. Then I saw it, Jesus was saying be so quiet and secretive about it that it will be as if your left hand does not even know what your right hand knows let alone those around you. I expressed this to James and he said praise the Lord. Then He went on to say what Jesus said would happen if you follow His instructions. James said, "Jesus then said that your Father which sees in secret Himself shall reward thee openly." James then said, "Is that not freedom Isaac? To no longer be ruled by the actions or thoughts of others. Only to be ruled by what you and you Father know is the right thing to do." I said, "Oh, Glory to God, Yes because freedom from myself is what I have been looking for all my life and I am beginning to see that it is mine in my Savior." I then saw some people passing by further up the hill and they were looking our way. I did a little glory dance right there in front of them. I praised God that I could act like one of His children in this new found freedom. They quickly turned their heads as if they thought who is that crazy person? Actually, they were right because at the moment I was crazy in love with my Savior.

After we had stopped laughing at my antics we got back to the new business at hand. James said, "Isaac, on that day we learned about giving from Jesus but then He got more personal and starting talking about communion with our Father" I said, "Do you mean prayer?" James said, "Yes that is exactly what I mean for that is what communion is Isaac. It is prayer or personal time with your Father. Here is what Jesus said about prayer on that day. And when thou prays thou shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you they have their reward." I stopped James and said, "I certainly can understand what Jesus was talking about when He said those words. "James, just looked at me for what seemed and eternity and then said to me, "Isaac, do you commune with your Father?" I quickly replied, "Oh yes, almost every day I pray and ask for many things." James said, I did not ask you if you ask for things. I ask you if you communed with your Father. Asking is not exactly communing Isaac. Are you going to God to get to know Him or just try to get things from Him? Do you not think that there is a vast difference?" It was like I had been slapped in the face because I knew that James was right. Instead of just enjoying being with my Creator all I did was ask Him for things like a spoiled child. We both just stood there in the silence of the moment. Me in my humiliation and James with those questioning eyes. Then the truth of the matter was revealed to me from the Holy Spirit and I said in a hushed voice to James." I think I may be more attached to the answers than I am to the one who is the answer." James replied, "We all are Isaac and as we said there are no natural Christians. We all have a life time to go in learning to follow and commune with our Father. We must come to the place where we realize that He wants to reveal Himself to us in our prayers. Most of the time we only think of Him answering our prayers. We have so much to learn but at least we are beginning to realize how ignorant we are. Let me continue with what Jesus said next. But thou when you pray enter into thy closet and when you have shut the door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do: for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking. Do you see the freedom Isaac?" I did see it and was delighted. I said to James, "Yes glory to God. Jesus is saying you no longer have to be the slave of men and their opinions for God Himself will hear you if you go to Him. James, I must confess that I do not know much about communion with my Savior and my Father but I am going to go to the throne and at least ask Him to teach me." James smiled and said, "Thank you Isaac." I said, "For what?" To which he responded, "For opening up the door to what Jesus said next about prayer to our Father. Isaac, on that day Jesus even told us about how we should pray and then gave us a model to follow. First let me tell you what He told us not to do. He said when you pray use not vain repetitions at the heathen do." I interrupted James and ask, "What do you mean by vain repetitions?" James responded, "Do not just pray and say the same words over and over for when you do that it is an insult to God. You are acting as if He is some wooden, stone, or metal idol. You are forgetting that He is the living God. Jesus went on to say do not use these meaningless repetitions as the heathen do for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking." I said, "It as if they think by saying these words over and over they are casting a spell. Perhaps they even think if they say it long enough the power will be theirs to grant the prayers that they desire." James said, "That is a very good way of putting it Isaac. Actually Jesus said the same thing in a different way when He said, be not therefore like unto them for your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask Him. God our Father is an all knowing Father. Isaac, He already knows before we come. So what do you think He wants when we do come to Him?" I answered, "I think He first wants us to come and acknowledge who He is. I think He desires us to acknowledge His majesty, graciousness, kindness, love, salvation and sacrifice for us. James I do so little of that when I pray. Most of the time it is just a one-sided conversation and the conversation is all mine. Would you mind if we just prayed together right now and ask our Father to help us learn to commune with Him. To honor Him as He honestly deserves." James did not say a word he just shook his head yes then put his finger to his lips. We both stood there in the silence of the morning and ask our creator and redeemer to forgive us. It seemed odd but we both finished at the same time. James took a drink from his flask and then offered one to me. I asked him if he had any family and he stated yes. I ask if all of them were believers and he again said yes. I then asked if any had died for the cause of Christ. He stood there for a moment and then tears began to fill his eyes and with a voice full of emotion said yes his brother had been crucified. He then caught himself and said let me tell you how Jesus told us on that day that we should pray.

"Isaac, Jesus gave us an outline of a prayer that we might follow on that day but I fear that some have already memorized it and just recite the words that He gave them. I fear that some have already started to do exactly what He told us not to do. So let us take the words that He said that day and look at them and try to learn a little of His communion with His Father. Then perhaps we can learn more of what ours should be like. Isaac, Jesus started with these words. After this manner therefore pray ye. Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy name." James stopped and ask me, "Isaac, what does this first sentence that Jesus said about pray say to you." I stood there but could not come up with any answer. James said, "Let me try to help you. First, He is our Father Isaac, when I think about that word Father in relation to God here is what it means to me. He is the creator of all beings whether angels or men and because of that He is their preserver, guardian and protector." I interrupted James and said, "But not all men believe that He is their Father." James said, "You are exactly right He is the Father of all but many do not acknowledge Him as so. We acknowledge Him as Father through His Son Jesus and because of that we have been brought into a close and intimate relationship with Him. Those who do not receive Him through Jesus will someday stand before Him as a stern judge of sinners. So we can graciously say Our Father whom we have been loving reconciled to through His son. Isaac, although our Father is everywhere and knows everything when we pray where should we think of Him as being." This time I had an answer, "We should think of Him as being in Heaven." James ask me, "Why?" I looked up at the sky. I saw the blueness of it. I saw the magnificent clouds and the felt the sun's warmth coming down on my body. Just then from where we were on that hillside I could look off in the distance and see a rain cloud far off on the horizon and a flash of lighting came down. I felt a cold chill run down my arms and I said in a hushed tone, "Because Heaven is the seat of all things eternal. It is where my Father and my Savior dwell. It is the place where His angels dwell, where His saints of former days dwell with Him. It is the place of perfection and it is where I also will dwell with my Father someday" James said, "Glory to our Father and Savior who dwell there Isaac you were communing with your Father when you thought and spoke like that." I looked at James and said, "Maybe I was and it was glorious. Please tell me more of how Jesus told us to pray." James said," before I tell you what He said next let us think or meditate on one more word in that first sentence. Jesus said, hallowed be thy name. Isaac, the name of our Father is a holy thing, it is a name set apart from all other names. His name is sacred and we as His followers should always honor it that way. When you hear His name profaned in some way then move away from those who do it or speak up and acknowledged that He is a Holy God and should be treated as such." I felt shame for many times I had heard others use His name in a profane way and just stood there and listen to their coarseness when I could have walked away. Once I was even watching a play that some people were putting on and they used the name of God in vain and instead of leaving I made the excuse well that is just the way the world is. Now the thought came to me if they had used your mother's name in such a way what would you have done but when they used your heavenly Father's name in that manner you just excused it. I did not mention this to James but asked forgiveness for my lack of respect and honor to my Father. I also asked Him for the courage to take some kind of action whether it be just to walk away or speak up the next time something like this happened. I then heard James's voice calling me back to the present. "Isaac are you listening?" I said, "Yes forgive me I just had to get something right between my Heavenly Father and myself." James said, "I understand."

I then ask James to tell me more of the prayer that Jesus shared with them on that day. James said, "After Jesus told us how we should start our prayers He then continued in this way. Thy Kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. You know Isaac the King has come not as we thought He would but He came in the form of a servant to His Father. He has done the will of His Father and has been raised to His rightful position sitting in the heavens at God's right hand. We both know that His Kingdom has not taken rightful possession here on earth. If it had then sin would not abound as it does for the Lord Jesus would stop it. Isaac, we know that the day is coming when Christ will return and rule this earth in fairness and justice but that day has not yet come. By looking at this sentence in this prayer model that Jesus gave us we also know that His will is being done in Heaven. Isaac, do you agree with all that I have said?" I answered, yes. "Then let me ask you a question. If His kingdom has not come to earth yet and He wants His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven how can this be accomplished?" I said to James, "you certainly have a way of making a person reach out for the Lord." James just smiled and waited. I walked over to a large flat rock that was protruding out of the ground and sat down on it. The rock that I sat on seemed out of place for it was all by itself with no other rocks close by it. It seemed to stand out in the grass as if God has intentionally placed it there. Then it hit me. I looked at James and smiled and replied, "His Kingdom has been placed in believers just as this rock has been placed here. We have been in dwelt by His Spirit. We may look out of place like this rock does but we should because we are in a Kingdom that is not ours." James laughed and said, "Yes, Isaac, Praise Jesus we are His rocks, part of His Kingdom here on earth waiting for His redemption. Isaac, look down the hillside do you see all of those other rocks? Do you see any others that stick out like this one does?" I surveyed the hillside and had to agree with James. This was the only rock on the hill that stuck out like it did. James then said, "Is it not sad that so many who have the Kingdom of God in them blend like the rocks on this hillside. Many say of them what a nice person or they are a kind person. Isaac, people said of our Lord that He was a strange person, a different person. He stuck out like this rock on the hillside. That is what a Christian is Isaac. One who sticks out like a strange rock on a hillside? Yes, we are to be kind, loving and all those things that we think that everyone should be but most of all people should know that we are anchored to the rock." As I sat there I thought Father let your Kingdom stand out through me.

James then said, "Isaac, the next thing that Jesus said sounded so simple and yet if meditated on is so profound. He said, give us this day our daily bread." I said to James, "Yes, that is very simple but why is it so profound?" James said," if you meditate on Jesus's words you will see many profound things Isaac. Most of us do not meditate on the Scriptures that Moses and the others have given us. Actually most of us do not even read them. Do not be one of those Isaac. Here is something that you could meditate on with those words that Jesus spoke. He said give us this day. Little do we even think about the fact that it is His day and not ours. We get up every morning and just accept that we deserve to have the time which God is actually allowing us. We are so foolish that we give no thought to the fact that time and eternity is in His hands. We are but dust in the wind as Solomon told us. We are here and then we are gone. So Isaac should we not reflect on the fact that this day is a gift from our Heavenly Father?" I said to James, "You are right those four little words, give us this day, mean so much and yet it is as if we live in a dream world. We are so filled with ourselves that we think that the time we have here is something we deserve without ever thinking and realizing that it is a gift from God. James it goes even deeper than that. The bread that we eat is even a gift from God. He does not have to supply the wheat from which it is made. I am humbled and ashamed when I realize for the first time that it all belongs to Him. None of it is mine James. I have been so arrogant and proud." Then another thought struck me. The only thing that was actually mine was the gift of the right to choose. The right to choose whom I would follow be it the God who created and allowed me to use all of this or the god of this world who would hold me in the slavery of trying to hold on to that which I could not possess. I again bowed my head there on that hillside and thanked Jesus and my Father for allowing me to use the things which belonged to Him.

James interrupted my thoughts and said, "I know just how you feel Isaac for I had to come to the same humbleness and humiliation when God revealed this me. Let me tell you more of what our Savior and guide said on that day. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Isaac, what do the words forgive and debt mean to you?" I responded, "A debt is something I owe. James, maybe it is something more than that it is something that I legally owe to someone. I owe it because I took or got something from them and in doing so I needed to pay them back for being allowed to use it. But how can a person pay God back? How long would I have to work to pay back every breath that I was allowed to use? James when I think about it would eternity be long enough to pay for one sin to a Holy God. Actually, I guess there is no pay back for I have nothing to pay back my debt with." I sat there a moment thinking on my debts that I owed a Holy God. Then another thought came to me. A debt is something for which that I have not made amends for. It is an offence against one whom I have injured. The only way I could make amends to God was to admit that I owed the debt and plead for someone to pay it. Praise Jesus who paid that debt that I could never make amends for. I then said to James, "Through His grace I will learn also to forgive others who have injured me. I think it may be easier to do that if I gaze upon my own debt to a Holy God because in light of that others injuries to me seem kind of small." James said, "Isn't the grace and love of God glorious. Oh, the merciful kindness of God our Father, the blessed sacrifice of Jesus the Savior, and the wonderful wisdom and patience of His Holy Spirit who dwells in us." As I began to let go of so many hurts, wrongs and perceived injuries, I felt my spirit began to soar. The peace of my Father began to descend on me and I praised Him aloud there on His hillside overlooking His Sea.

A gentle warm breeze began to blow again across my body. I could see it moving among the blades of grass there on that hillside. It was as if His Spirit was combing the grass and putting it back into perfect place and rest. We were both brought back from our communion by a voice behind us which said, "Look what I have for you, see what a deal I have for you, a bargain, a steal for my friends." A large man was holding out an expensive looking cloak to us. It was purple with scarlet threads running through its seams. The man though well-dressed seemed to me to be dirty although he was not. He said here is a bargain for you my friends. This is my cloak and I no longer have need of it. I will sell it to you for just a few denarii. I put out my hand to feel its fine material when James stopped me by putting his hand on mine. He asked the man his name. The man just stood looking at James from the blackest eyes I had ever seen. Then replied, "What does that matter. Do you want the fine cloak for such a small price?" Why do you not want it James asked the man? "I have no need of it any longer he replied. "James then surprised me with his next statement when asked the man, "Have you ever heard of the Savior named Jesus? The man got a cynical look on his face and said, "Yes, I have heard of this man named Jesus but He was no Savior. I know they crucified Him for all the lies He told." James then said, "You sir, do you believe that a man should be crucified for telling lies?" The man's face turned a bright red. He put the cloak back in his satchel and said, "I have no time to waste on fools. I have offered you a bargain and you refused. I will find someone who knows a steal when they see one." James replied, "I am sure you will sir." James eyes then looked over the man's shoulder causing the man also to look behind him. We could see in the distance a few Roman guards heading our way. When the man saw them without another word he took off down the hill hollering at some men in a boat who were about to cast off from the shore. I turned to James and said, "How did you know?" James said, "Isaac, I did not know. I have just learned to ask questions before casting my fate with anything. It is something that the Lord teaches His children and often we have to learn the hard way. Jesus spoke of this kind of thing on that day when He said, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." I said to James, "What did He mean when He said lead us not into temptation? Does God lead us into temptation?" James answer me in this way, "Isaac, God can foresee the temptation coming and He does not stop it. The way you respond to it will prove how close your relationship is with Him. He already knows how you will respond but He wants you to know. When the temptation comes our prayer should be. Father, do not let us be overcome with this evil. We are weak and easily led astray as sheep are. We come to you as the shepherd of our souls and look for your strength and power to resist this evil and to deliver us from it. When we pray like that Isaac we will prove the last thing Jesus said about prayer on that day. He concluded with this. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever Amen. When we rely on Him we are proving what He has already proved. It is His kingdom and we are His kingdom when we acknowledge and yield to Him in all temptation. By doing this we are also acknowledging that it is His power that resides in us and it is His power that is enabling us to not yield to temptation. Isaac, by yielding to Him what does this bring about?" I was stumped for a few moments and then it came to me. I shouted out loud to James, "He is expressing His glory in us. He is expressing His Kingly majesty in us the weak, the frail, the powerless. Glory to God He will do it forever and ever. James for all of eternity He will be expressing His glory and power in us." James laughed and also said Glory to God. Then he said, "Isaac, the last word Jesus said in His model prayer was Amen or in other words so be it. May it be fulfilled and believed.

James said let us take a break and share some bread and drink together. We sat down under a tree there on that hillside and at first began to talk of small things. James asked me what my trade was and I told him that I had a small shop with my brother in the town of Bethany where we sold vegetables, fruits and some other items. He asked if my family had accepted Christ and I said all but my sister. I related to him that she was a very good person as far as humanly speaking and because of that she said that she saw no need of a Savior. James, sadly shook his and said I fear there are many like that. He then told me of his younger brother John who had preached so boldly in the streets of Rome. He told me that some of the Jewish leaders conspired against him and after many lies and bribes had Him crucified. He said he was so thankful that there was a Savior and that he would again see his brother. We both sat there in silence for a few minutes. I was thinking about my sister and I had a feeling that James was thinking about a reunion with his brother John.

James turned and said, "Shall we continue with that day when our Savior spoke with us here on this hillside." I of course nodded yes. "Isaac, after Jesus spoke those words to us about communion and prayer to our Father He told us of the practical things we should do to enable this communion with Him. The first thing He said after speaking to us of prayer was this. For if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." I said to James, "There are some people who have done me much evil. I want to forgive them but how will I know that I have forgiven them for when I think of what they did it can raise such feelings of hurt and anger in me?" James then said, "Isaac, we all have such things in our lives. Do not ever think that you are the only one who feels that they have been treated wrong. As a matter of fact if you could talk to those who have wronged you I am sure they could tell of others who have wronged them. But let me get back to your question. You ask how can I know if I have forgiven them. First, you have to realize that even if you are willing to forgive them often these feelings that have been hurt are still there. They raise their voice in protest about forgiveness. They scream and say how unjust and how unfair this person or that person has been to you. Second, began to think and ask yourself if is important to you that your Father hear your prayers. Is it important to you that you commune with Him? If it is then you must pray and forgive them for this is a requirement of your Father and Savior. Isaac, you ask how you will know if you have done this. Mostly by your actions towards this person if their name is mentioned or if you are around them. Actions always speak louder than words. If someone mentions their name and you began to rant on them or if someone else begins to slander them and you join in then I doubt that you have forgiven them. If the person comes around and you shun them and refuse to have anything to do with them then I again doubt that you have forgiven them. Lastly Isaac, the most important thing for us to do is to be willing to forgive even when our emotions and nature tell us not to. If we come to the Father and are honest then He will see and began to work forgiveness in our hearts even when we are not able to."

James stopped and ask me a question, "Isaac have you ever fasted? I replied, "Yes but not as many do. It seems to me that many of our leaders are always fasting and doing things like that." James said, "How do you know?" I said, "They always let you know one way or another that they are doing something for God." James laughed and said, "Exactly, they always let you know one way or another. Listen to what Jesus said about those things that they always let you know about. Moreover when ye fast be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you they have their reward. But thou when thou fastest anoint they head and wash thy face. That thou appear not unto men to fast but unto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly." I proudly said to James, "I have never been like that nor would I act like that if I were fasting." James just stared at me. He stared at me until I began to feel uncomfortable. Then it hit me and I am sure that my face turned a crimson red. I remembered how many people I had told about my great spiritual quest. My spiritual quest to Jerusalem and how everyone should do as I was doing. I realized that my face was just as disfigured as theirs for it was also filled with pride about what I was going to do.

James graciously saved me when he said, "Jesus then said, lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust does corrupt and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust does corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal. How foolish we are Isaac, we run from here to there trying to accumulate that which we cannot keep. Then we try to put the things which we cannot keep in storehouses, vaults and other receptacles as if we are going to preserve them for all of eternity. As one of our great kings once said we are but dust and to dust we shall return and all that we treasure will also have the same fate. Then there is always the possibility that thieves will steal and take all that we think we can keep. Isaac, remember that Jesus said do not disfigure your face when fasting as the hypocrites do. If we could only realize that the things which we try to hoard will also become disfigured as the hypocrites are. They will lose their luster and vanish away. Jesus said accumulate your treasures in heaven the place where good and precious things are collected and laid up. Jesus then said the most profound thing if we would but think about it. He said for where your treasure is there will your heart be also." I asked James this, "What do you mean my heart will be there also?" He answered this way, "Your heart is like a fountain it brings forth that which cannot be hid. It will reveal where your treasure is by the actions of your desires, passions, appetites, affections, purposes and endeavors. No one knows the human heart as Jesus does and though we try to hide its motives from one another we can never hide its true intent from Jesus."

I confessed to James that often I was afraid or ashamed to let God search my heart because I was worried about what He would find there. James said, "Isaac, do you now see that you cannot hide anything from Him? Would it not be better to confess it and let Him cure you of it rather than trying to pretend that it does not exist?" I nodded yes in agreement. James then said, "Jesus had more to say about our heart and lives but He used the eye as an example when He said, the light of the body is the eye if therefore thy eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thy eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness." I stopped James and said, "I am not sure I understand this James." James said, "Isaac, just a moment ago we talked about the heart. We compared it to a fountain and said that what it brought forth showed our true intent and nature. The eye receives what that fountain is bringing forth and gives light or darkness as to how we perceive the world and how we react to it. It is at the eye that what is happening on the outside meets up with what is possessed on the inside. If we have been born again then our spirits have been lit by the Holy Spirit. We have been lit with the truth and knowledge of the one true light and that is God the Father through His son Jesus Christ. Because of that we will begin to perceive the world in a different way. Those who have not been lit in their spirits by the Spirit will perceive things differently from us. What they perceive as enjoyment we will perceive as sin. What they chase after we will shun. What they worship as truth and light we abhor as darkness. Their darkness prevents them from respecting divine things. They will accompany ungodliness and immorality."

I said to James, "Can a believer be filled with darkness?" James said, "Isaac that is remarkable that you ask that question because Jesus actually answered it with His next statement. No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Isaac, Jesus said no man can serve yield himself to two different things. It has been tried by many and many have failed by trying it. There was a couple that I heard about named Ananias and Sapphira who were with the first believers in Jerusalem. They sold a field that they had and came to one of the disciples to give them the money. I think it was Peter. They pretended to give all but held back some in secret and God took their lives because of their deception. With Jesus it is all or nothing. He gave so much for us and for us to give so little to Him is an insult to our Father and Savior. It is an insult to our faith. Have you yet heard of the man named Paul who has become the apostle to the Gentiles?" I had heard of Paul and his great devotion to the Lord. I told James that yes I knew of him and admired him. James said that Paul spoke of another person named Demas who had gone with him on journeys. This Demas had even stood with Paul while he preached to unbelievers. James then said that Demas tried to have what this world offered while at the same time serving God. James then sadly shook his head and said, "I heard that Paul had said that Demas had forsaken him having loved this world. Isaac, why we think that we can play in the devils playground and not get burned I do not know. But we do. Our Father has given us example after example down through the ages. There was Lot, Abraham's nephew, Samson, King Saul and so many others who tried it and paid such a terrible price." As I was standing there listening I realized that this is what had even happened to Adam and Eve. I said to James, "sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay." James said, "Isaac, I think with that statement you have summed up in a different way what Jesus was saying. We as believers are offered a choice and God even shows us the consequences of our choice before we make it and yet so often we foolishly think that we can have both. Let's pray Isaac, for ourselves that we will stay true to our Savior, let's pray for our brothers and sisters also for they will either be taught by our Father the vinedresser or ravaged by the world. Remember that being taught by the vinedresser our Father will bring life and peace. While being ravaged by the world will only lead to you being trampled on." We stopped and prayed for so many we knew by name. We prayed that God would open their eyes and ours to wiles of this world. We prayed that all of our brothers and sisters would see that you cannot have a walk with God while living in Egypt.

After praying I asked James if Jesus gave any advice on how not to get caught up in the things of this world. James said that the very next thing that Jesus said was the best advice he had ever heard concerning the things of the world. James then said to me, "Isaac here is what our Savior said next to all of us who were there. Therefore I say unto you take no thought for your life and what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your whole body what ye shall put on. Is not the life not more than meat and the body more than raiment? Isaac, Jesus said do not be anxious. Do not be troubled with this world. After meeting the Son of God will you still run here and there having to chase after this or that. Is that all that He is worth to you? Then He made the most wonderful declaration if we would only heed it. He said behold or turn your eyes upon the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor do they gather in barns yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Isaac, I will ask you the same question Jesus then ask us. Are ye not much better than they?" James stunned me with this question because I realized that when I was worrying and fretting about these things that I was insulting the God who made these things. I had been adopted into the royal family and I acted like a pauper. The royal family of God's care which is not as the world's family is. For He promises to supply our needs and ask us not to get them confused with our wants. I said nothing in answer to James question. I just stood there with my head down.

I know that He knew what I was thinking for in a kind voice he said, "Isaac, hear what Jesus said next. For which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to your stature? Isaac, Jesus was talking about reality when he said those words." I said to James," I do not understand what you mean when you say He was talking about reality." James replied, "Isaac, reality is being honest. If you honestly think about your life and where you are right now can you make yourself any taller by worrying about what is going to happen next?" I smiled and said, "Only if I stand on my tiptoes." James laughed and said, "You cannot stand like that forever for reality says you have to come back down onto the soles of your feet where God intended you to be. Isaac, after Jesus said that about you stature He ask another question. He said, and why take ye thought for raiment. Consider the lilies of the field how they grow they toil not neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Consider Isaac, examine the things around you that God has put there and you will began to see His care for you. Live like a child of the King and think like a child of God. Consider and examine the things around you and you will began to see your Father's hand in everything." I said to James, "How blind we are to our Creator. He is declaring and speaking all the time through the things which He created and we are continually missing it." James shook his head in agreement and then told me what Jesus said next. "Wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you O ye of little faith?" It was those last five words that really got me. O ye of little faith. O ye who can see everything I have done if only you would look. O ye who trust so little. O ye who come to me for eternal life and refuse to live in it now. I felt ashamed because I realized how very little I really trusted my Savior. James in a soft voice then said the following words, "Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or with what will we be clothed?" I started to speak but James put his finger to his lips and continued, "For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knows that we have need of all these things." James stopped and opened his arms as wide as he could and then starting turning round and round. He then began to raise and lower his arms and head as he turned. I looked at him as if he were crazy and as I watched him I began to laugh. He then began to laugh also and we both actually got into one of those laughing fits. You know the kind. The one where you try to say something but as soon as you do you start laughing again. We laughed and laughed until we both fell to ground. We laid there on the soft grass looking up at the sky and then it hit me as to what he was doing. I turned to him and said, "I see! If only we would look, think and consider we would see our Father everywhere." He looked at me and smiled. Then he said the simplest thing and the words had more wisdom in them than I had ever heard. He said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." The words he spoke were so simple that he did not even have to comment on them. Seek God and His integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling and acting and the rest would take care of itself. For me it came down to five simple words. Get to know your God.

We finally sat up and spotted a small fishing boat out on the Sea. It gently rocked back and forth on the small waves. We watched as the men hauled in their nets and it looked as if they were rejoicing with their catch. Over to our right a flock of birds were feeding on some kind of insects that God had provided. At the same time on our left two rabbits sat munching on the grass. The sun was warm on our skin. The breeze was cooling to our hearts. Yes, it was true our Father was there speaking through His creation if we would only look.

James said, "Isaac, I have a little more to say and then I must be on my way and you must continue your journey. Jesus said, Judge not that ye be not judged." I stopped James right there and said, "How can that be? People steal and murder. James, how can we not judge them?" James said, "I am going to try to tell you what Jesus meant when he said that. Isaac, we have laws that judge people who have done wrong and that is as it should be. When we see people doing evil and morally wrong things we of course form an opinion as we should for God tells us that we are to be holy as He is holy. There are times when we if are in the right position of authority that we have to call people to account for their actions. What Jesus meant is this. When we get into a spirit that has us judging every action of a person hastily, harshly and without any allowance for what they might be going through then we are judging wrongly. When we think that we know what their motives are and began to tell one another that we know why they do this and why they do that we are judging wrongly. When we fail to pray for them it only shows that our concern is not for their wellbeing or their walk with Jesus. It only shows that our concern is one of criticism because they do not act as we do. Isaac, we are very good at speaking of evil where no evil exists. As always Jesus was looking at our hearts and motives. Do we judge with a heart of concern, pity, and prayer for our fellow believers and those who are lost or do we judge with a heart of criticism, envy, and self-righteousness. For one way will make us humble and loving while the other will make us proud and full of conceit. "As usual after James had said these things of Jesus I felt like I had been slapped in the face. For in so many ways he was describing me without even using my name. Later in my life I discovered that God often dealt with us in that way. He often used those like James, who had no idea that they were being used. I prayed and ask forgiveness for all the wrong things that I had said to others out of the wrong motives of my heart. I then said to James, "I am not sure I want to hear more but I know that I must for it is the only way that I will become like Him. I must have my own faults exposed for if He does not show them to me then He will never be able to overcome them in me. So if you would James please let the words of my Savior expose more of my need to Him" James gently put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Just remember that we all come from the same stock of sinners. What He is doing in you He has to do in all of us. Here is what Jesus said next about judging. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judge: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why behold thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye. Or will you say to thy brother, let me pull out the mote out of your eye: and behold, a beam is in thy own eye. Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of your own eye: and then shall thy see clearly to cast out mote out of thy brother's eye. Isaac, with what degree of spite, self-righteous and proudness we judge our brother we too shall be judged by the only righteous judge that there is. Jesus will judge all things for to Him is this honor given. Every time we see a fault in another we must also ask our Savior to reveal our faults to us. For as an old proverb says every man is right in his own eyes. There are two sides to every argument, two sides to every discussion and two opinions on everything. If we will but let the Holy Spirit examine our lives then He will change us into the likeness of our Savior." I said to James, "so much of what I concern myself in others will make so little difference in eternity. Perhaps that is why Jesus called the things I see in others a mote or a straw or a twig. My examining their lives for the straws and twigs only proves that I have a log in my own eye. James, could we pray right here and right now that the every time I see a fault in another that first I would realize that God knows it is there, second that I would pray for them and third and probably most important that I would let Him examine me to find my own diseases of the soul that need cured." James said Amen and we prayed together. James then said Isaac, "it is so sad that so many of us think if we ignore our sins and faults that God does not see them or that He will not hold us accountable for them. What foolish children we are to think that our heavenly Father will not deal with us. We must always remind our brothers and sisters that our Father is our Father and will treat us like His children.

I asked James what Jesus said next. James said that Jesus said what seemed to be an odd thing. Jesus said, "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rend you." I ask James, "Why did Jesus say this after just telling us about judging?" James answer, "Isaac, we must learn discernment. After our eyes are opened to the truth of God's grace and forgiveness we often think that everyone will welcome it. So we come to all in a non-judging manner and began to tell them of our Saviors sacrifice for them. Then they rebuke us and scorn us and we are shocked and dismayed. Jesus is saying that yes we should not judge any but present to all the good news of His saving grace. However when it is resented, scorned and mocked we must be wise enough to realize that not all will welcome it. That is why He said that giving the good news to those who scorn it is the same as giving something holy to a dog. You know in the Temple we have the showbread which we consider holy but if you give it to a dog it will mean nothing. He will just chew it up and then look for something else to chew on. The same with swine. To us the gospel is the greatest treasure we could ever have. It is priceless, so giving it to those who scorn and rebuke it is like giving a priceless pearl to a pig. They take no notice of it and if you keep getting in their way with it sooner or later they will begin to cover you with their slop. Isaac, ask your Father for discernment in giving out the gospel. Always be ready to proclaim its saving power and always be ready to protect its preciousness."

James then said, "Let me tell you how Jesus explained the love of our Father towards us. Jesus simply said to ask" What is asking God Isaac?" I said, "I guess it is to desire, call for or even to beg Him for something." James said, "Okay so if you ask Him for something what do you think should happen? I again said, "I guess He will give it to me." "Why?" James responded. I stood for the longest time trying to think of a reason that God should give me anything. I searched and I searched my heart but only found reasons why He should not. I finally came up with only one reason and timidly said to James, "Because I am His son in Christ Jesus." James smiled and said, "That is great Isaac we now have a basis for approaching our heavenly Father and that basis is our Savior. So let us hear what Jesus had to say next. He said, Ask and it shall be given to you in other words what you ask will be given to you the one who is asking. But wait Jesus also said this, seek and you shall find or you will get knowledge of God. You will began to know of Him as a son should know a Father. Not by seeking the thing ask for but by seeking the one who can grant the thing ask for. Isaac, Jesus then said, and to him that knocks it shall be opened. Have you been knocking Isaac? I looked off into the distance and quietly answered, "I am very good at asking, very poor at seeking and almost non-existent in knocking." James said, "I am afraid that you have described most of us Isaac. Listen to the promise that Jesus gave next if we will just do what He said to do. For everyone that asks receives and he that seeks shall find and to him that knocks it shall be opened. Our prayers must contain all three elements Isaac because in doing those three things we will come to know our Father's heart as He changes our heart to be like our Saviors.

Isaac, if we could only began to think of our heavenly Father as we picture ourselves as a Father. It would make such a difference in our lives. For as Jesus said next, or what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish will give him a serpent?" I said to James, "I have to be honest James for sometimes it seems in my life that he is giving me stones and serpents." James said, "Many of His children feel that way and the reason they do is because they do not look at Gods character only at their circumstances. His character is one of unfailing love and compassion for His children. Do not peoples own children look at their Fathers and question them? At times we appear uncaring but we are not. At times we appear unkind but we are not. If we desire our children to look at us this way then how much more should we look at our heavenly Father in that way. He gave His best that we might have His Son. Jesus gave His all that we might have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit resides with us that we might have eternal life. When it comes down to that last day Isaac and we step out into eternity then we will see that His mercy given to us who deserved no mercy was the greatest gift that ever could be given. Jesus then said if ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?" I stopped James and said, "Was He talking about Himself or was He talking about gifts? James said, "Isaac, only you can decide that."

James stopped and took a drink offering me one. The day had begun to wax old and the sun was traveling to its appointed rest. James voice choked up as he said, "How I long to see Him again Isaac. The next time when I do see Him He will be robed in all His glory. No longer scorned or abused but a King in all His majesty. Yet even though a King He shall treat us as His brothers and our Father will treat us as His children. That day on this hill Jesus told us how to treat others when He said therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do you even so unto them for this is the law and the prophets. Isaac, because we are His children we no longer have to grab and hold on to everything. We have eternity waiting for us. We have treasures that no man can even imagine. Let go of this world and start living in the next. Do not be like our brothers of old who God redeemed out of Egypt. They wandered for forty years and never ever entered their rest though it was only a short distance from them. Our rest is only a prayer away and that rest is given when we give up our right to ourselves. So again I say to you quit wandering and lusting in this world and start resting in the next."

I said to James, "I so long to do that James. I long for that peace that He promised but it seems that so many times I am pulled in so many directions." James said, "I understand what you are saying Isaac but that does not need to be. Jesus addressed that with His next words. He said, Enter ye at the straight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be which go in there at. Isaac, being a disciple of Jesus is not an easy thing. If He had made it easy everyone would be one. God is not looking for those who want to give up nothing so they can have it all. Yes, He made His salvation easy because it cost Him so much and so He makes following Him hard so that it will cost you much. That is why He also said, because straight is the way which leads unto life and few there be that find it. That life is here now the same as it was for our brothers who were also saved out of the Egyptian world. It was theirs for the taking but they refused it and died in the wilderness. We as Christians have the same choice that life of peace and rest is ours for the taking but it is a narrow path and a small path that leads to it. The path may start out wide but as you follow it begins to narrow until there is only room for you and Jesus. You cannot look back to Egypt for if you do you will see many that you know beckoning you to come back." I said to James, "Would you pray with me right now that I just keep looking at that gate the one in the shape of a cross." James put his arm around me and we prayed that we would both keeping looking to the cross as we followed that path that our Savior had laid before us.

"Isaac, Jesus then warned us about something else. He told us to, beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves." I asked James, "What is a false prophet and how will I be able to recognize them if they are disguised." James answered, "Jesus also answered that with His next statement but first let us decide what a false prophet is. Always remember that they will never come to you denying divine things but they will come and tell you lies claiming they are divine things. They will make their lies sound very convincing and you will be tempted to ride their waves. That is why Jesus said what He said next. Ye shall know them by their fruits." I interrupted James and asked, "What do you mean by their fruits? James said, "By their actions Isaac, by their actions. Men can disguise themselves like sheep with their words but if you will just watch and wait they will prove themselves by their deeds and actions. We as Christians must learn discernment for there are many who will tell you what they think you want to hear just to tickle your ears. However the proof is in their actions. After Jesus said that about their fruits He then said, do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? Every tree that brings not good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Isaac, this Holy Spirit that dwells in us is the very person and disposition of our Savior. He will bring forth actions consistent with the disposition of our Savior. It will take a lifetime for us to come into full ripeness but during our lifetime this life that lives in us will produce fruit or actions consistent with our Savior. That is why it is so important not to judge people right away but to wait and compare their actions with their words. Again, that is called discernment. Jesus gave a stern warning to those whose actions do not become consistent with their words"

I asked James, "What warning did He give?" James said, "Jesus said, not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but He that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Isaac, we now know what He meant when He said that. The will of the Father is that we not only know that Jesus is the Savior for the demons know that but that we confess our need of Him. Then after we confess our need of Him we ask that He would accept us as brothers as we accept Him as Savior. Isaac, Jesus said, that many will say to me in that last day, Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name have done many wonderful works? Isaac, why do you think He would say that to some people who apparently did many things for Him?" I must admit that I was stumped for a while but again our Lord did something that was kind of funny and yet so enlightening to me at the same time. As I look down the hillside I noticed a cart broke down on the shore. The man was fixing the wheel and had taken his donkey and tied it behind the cart. When God spoke to me using this simple illustration I was amazed at how He could take anything and use it for His purpose. I turned to James and with a beaming smile on my face said, "They have put the donkey behind the cart. They think the doing is the answer. They do not realize that the doing only begins when they accept the one who has already done what needed to be done." James smiled and said, "You have got it Isaac. God wrapped everything up in His beloved Son Jesus. Jesus made this very plain when He said, and then I will profess unto them I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity. Isaac, they never asked to be personally introduced to Him. Oh, they might have given to the poor, they might have fed the hungry or even gone off to fight wars to relieve others from their oppression. Those things are good and right in our human eyes. Christians and unbelievers should do those things but here is the big difference. Christians should do it with the purpose of introducing that person to the Savior of the world. Unbelievers do it just to help others but to help others without Gods purpose in mind is not helping them but is perhaps hindering them from knowing their creator. One is saying look to me your fellow human being for your salvation. While Christians should be saying look to Savior for your salvation and eternal destiny." I said to James, "So I guess in their own way instead of being workers of righteousness they are workers of iniquity."

James shook his head in assent and then said, "Isaac, it is drawing late and in a couple of hours the sun will be sitting. I must be on my way and you on yours. What Jesus said next summed up everything that He had said while we listened to Him on that day. Here are His next words. Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine and does them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock. The rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock. "I stopped James and said, "I see it James. Without Him all is a waste, without Him all is a lie. We look at men's success and their supposedly great achievements and laud them with accolades when all the time without Him what they have achieved is but eternal foolishness. Oh, how our eyes need to be opened to the lies of this world." James smiled and said, "You practically took the next words that Jesus said right out of my mouth Isaac. The next and last words that He said were these, and everyone that hears these sayings of mine and does them not shall be likened unto who a foolish man which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it. Isaac, Jesus is the rock on which we build everything we too should have our eyes turned in the direction of our rock and Savior. No matter how good, great or gracious our works if they are not built upon Him they will fail and fall. It sometimes is a failure for all to see and sometimes not. Sometimes people will call what you do a failure but if built upon the rock it will stand in eternity. If built upon the sand of this world it will be walked on for all of eternity and forgotten."

James stopped and we stood there in silence for a few moments. Then He said, "I have told you of what He said to us on that day. It is now up to you what you will do with it. Remember Isaac, we can only point to the rock we cannot make anyone climb upon it. When He spoke that day the people were astonished for they knew that they had heard from a man who knew God. It was then up to them to decide if He was God. You have already made that choice now live it." We prayed together and I went on my new way or should I say that I was only following the old way in a new way. My Jesus has always been the way for in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

The End

May we learn to walk with our Savior

Don Hatfield

