Enduring the Shame

"Let us fix our eyes on JESUS, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before HIM endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of GOD. Consider HIM who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:2

Dear Praying Friends,

It was just a normal family night, something the Ezzo's (www.gfi.org) encouraged us to do in our Growing Kid's God's Way classes years ago, to set aside one night of the week for doing something together as a family. But it wasn't just a normal family night to me...it had been several months since my husband had felt like playing Ping-Pong with us upstairs in the "playroom." Actually, it was his first time to go upstairs in our house in many months since having had trouble with his hip, and having it replaced. So, last Monday night was special and how thankful we are to GOD for the progress Johnny has made in his mobility...we sure are thankful for all of your prayers for him. After making chili, and eating together, we all went upstairs to play Ping-Pong. It's amazing how good the kids have gotten:)...i think John Mac beat everyone, and Hannah Beth wasn't far behind. She humbled me playing foosball, even skunking me-that was before she hurt her wrist in karate on Tuesday...the doctor could not tell if it's cracked or not, but please pray it will heal soon...she has Bible drill coming up and it's hard to turn the pages quickly with a bad wrist:). After we came down from upstairs, we enjoyed a cherry pie I had made earlier and topped it off with ice cream. Johnny suggested we watch a documentary he had recorded on John Adams, our second President. That suggestion went over like a "ton of bricks" including me:), but it was actually very good, and i even watched it on the big TV:)...which i am thankful.
I did not remember a lot about John Adams from studying him with the kids somewhere along the way in our homeschooling, but i did remember that he and his wife had a very close relationship and they wrote each other letters when he was away at the Continental Congress...i didn't realize that it was over the course of almost 10 years-wow. I later looked them up in "America's GOD and Country Book" and saw that they very definitely were CHRISTians, and their letters to each other are filled with reverences for their faith in GOD and love for one another. On October 16, 1774, Abigail Adams wrote to John Adams just prior to the outbreak of war with Great Britain " I dare not express to you, at three hundred miles distance, how ardently I long for your return...And whether the end will be tragical, Heaven only knows. You cannot be, I know, not do I wish to see you an inactive spectator; but if the sword be drawn, I bid adieu to all domestic felicity, and look forward to that country where there are neither wars nor rumors of war, in a firm belief that through the mercy of its KING we shall both rejoice there together...Your most affectionate, Abigail Adams. On June 18, 1775, in the middle of the battle with Britain she wrote to her husband, "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; but the GOD of Israel is HE that giveth strength and power unto HIS people. Trust in HIM at all times, ye people, pour out your hearts before HIM, GOD is a refuge for us...Almighty GOD, cover the heads of our countrymen, and be a shield to our dear friends...Abigail Adams." As we watched this documentary, i was impressed with the intimacy of John and Abigail's marriage, and also John Adams desire for justice whether it be on the American's side, or Great Britain. He was a tenacious lawyer and defended some British soldiers early on when they were falsely accused by some rioting Americans.
But something later on in the documentary, totally surprised me, and touched my heart. There was a part in the movie where a man who was standing up for the British was carried away by an American mob in a rage of their fury. They stripped him and tarred and feathered him, and it was very graphic...including the stripping part. My husband had warned us, and Hannah Beth turned her head, but i sat there and watched it and it was very painful to see them tearing his clothes off, all of them, and pour hot tar over this man. Later on, maybe even the next day, i was thinking about how humiliating and painful that was for that man, and somewhere in my thoughts, i thought how humiliating, embarrassing and painful it must have been for my LORD JESUS CHRIST to have been stripped naked and crucified on a wooden cross for you and me...HE took the punishment that i deserved. Matthew 27:28 says, "They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on HIM." Later in John 19:23 it says, "when the soldiers crucified JESUS, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares..." Luke 23:34 JESUS said, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." and they divided up his clothes by casting lots." We have just come through celebrating Easter, but something about that scene in the movie, made JESUS crucifixion more real to me." My heart is so grateful to my precious SAVIOR who suffered that shame and pain for me...and being stripped of your clothes, beaten to a pulp, and hanging naked on a cross is shameful and humiliating.
What does this have to do with me now...i've read about JESUS crucifixion in the gospel's over and over, yet something about this movie made it more personal and real to me...seeing that angry mob strip that man naked and thinking of my JESUS suffering that for me when "HE could have called 10,000 angels" to rescue him and slew all those who were doing these evil things to HIM. But JESUS knew why HE had come into this world, HE came to die for my sins and yours...and thankfully, 3 days later, it was also GOD's plan that HE conquer death and HE was raised from the dead that we might have eternal life..."But as many as received HIM, to them gave HE power to become sons of GOD, even to them that believe on HIS name." John 1:12.
JESUS set an example in the way HE suffered that HE told us to follow in 1 Peter 2:19-24, when it says, "For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of GOD...but if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before GOD. To this you were called, because CHRIST suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in HIS steps. HE committed no sin, and no deceit was found in HIS mouth." When they hurled their insults at HIM, HE did not retaliate; when HE suffered, HE made no threats. Instead, HE entrusted HIMself to HIM who judges justly. HE HIMself bore our sins in HIS body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by HIS wounds you have been healed." JESUS died for "the broken ones," you and me, and by HIS suffering we have been healed from our sin, when we trust HIM as our LORD and SAVIOR.
I sure wish I would have remembered those words last week, when someone insulted someone i love and then me, and i got so mad at them...i forgot to follow CHRIST's example and i got angry instead of forgiving and "entrusting myself to the ONE who judges justly." Mine was a little thing, but i have people in my life that i love dearly that are facing much bigger issues of unjust suffering. One person is being unjustly accused at work and is in danger of loosing their job. Another person, Dr. William Rea,(www.ehcd.com) has been caring for " the broken ones" for many, many years and has endured much scorn from others in the medical profession for the way he practices medicine. He is under fire from the Texas Medical Board and is in danger of loosing his license. I asked you several weeks ago to pray for him, and just wanted to remind you... I was reminded myself of the battles he is facing when he was on Nightline last week. Dr. Rea is world renowned in his field of Environmental Medicine. He was trained as a surgeon, but when he became sick from gases, pesticides, and other chemicals, GOD redirected his medical practice and taught him to care for "the broken ones,"- ones whose health problems baffled most doctors. Instead of these doctors being grateful, the Texas Medical Board is trying to strip him of his license to practice medicine. He is very much going through some unjust suffering and i would ask you to please keep Dr. Rea in your prayers. He has helped so many people recover their health and be set free from the "chains of sickness" that had engulfed our bodies. He has been a "champion" for the ones like me whose health has been broken by chemicals, mold, antibiotics, and other things in our environment making us sick. I tried many, many doctors and remedies before the LORD led me to Dr. Rea and his clinic, and it was there that GOD began to teach me the tools i needed to restore my health. It's our turn to stand in the gap for Dr. Rea, who has "laid down his life for us," who had endured his own cross, and the shame that has gone with it. I am so thankful that GOD has raised Dr. Rea up to fight for those whom others would cast away. I am asking you to join me in praying for Dr. Rea that GOD would give him peace, strength, and wisdom, as he suffers for doing good and help Dr Rea to endure this suffering. And also that he would "entrust himself to the ONE who judges justly, and know that "The LORD is his Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer...my GOD in whom I take refuge," Psalm 18:2. Psalm 37:39-40 says, "The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; HE is their stronghold in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; HE delivers them from the wicked and saves them because they take refuge in HIM." Just as the GOD had a plan and purpose for JESUS' suffering, shame, and resurrection, enabling us to be free from our bondage of sin, the LORD has a plan for Dr. Rea's suffering. GOD will be faithful to deliver him through this battle as HE has done many times in the past and will bring forth new life for the cause of those suffering from environmental illness. Who knows what other good will come out of his battle's but the LORD?

Last week, our family was so blessed to have Tony and Taranda Greene, Brad Hudson, and John Jeffrey's eat with us at our restaurant (www.oldgreenbrier.com) before they sang in Hartselle last Friday night. We had a great time with them, catching up and laughing together. I am reminded once again, what an amazing GOD i serve who delights in giving me my hearts desires. This was the first time the Greene's have eaten at our restaurant, and what a blessing it was to have them...and a long time desire in my heart. They drove out of their way to eat with us and gave up their afternoon of rest, which is a very big deal when you're 9 months pregnant which Taranda is and we appreciate their sacrifice so much. She has had a long hard 9 months on the road with her pregnancy, and i'd sure appreciate you remembering the Greene's next Wed as Taranda is scheduled to deliver Jocelyn Ruth, their second baby girl, by C-section. As we were visiting with them, Taranda shared something with me, that i was just amazed that GOD had done. She had no idea when she was sharing with me, that what she was telling me was an answer to a prayer and heart's desire that i had prayed just a few weeks ago. I was amazed and still am, at GOD's power, HIS creativity, bringing the Greene's to our restaurant from Charlotte N.C. and then HIM winking at me and saying," See i did hear your prayer and answer it, even many many miles away. Would you please continue to remember Tim, Tony's brother in your prayers? Tim continues to have complications from his immune system not functioning well, and has been struggling with pneumonia, among other things. GOD in HIS grace, has led Tim and his wife,Amy to start a church at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. ..Tim is pastoring again, praise the LORD! The Greene's (www.thegreenesgospel.com) blessed the fire out of our hearts Friday night as they sang, "Without the Cross," "Redeemer," "GOD on the Mountain," ,"Sky Full of Angels", "All for Me," and several other songs so beautifully. Even though i used "All for Me" a few months ago, i felt led as i wrote this to use the powerful words this week because it just fits what i've shared above about the shame CHRIST went through for you and me on the cross. "If i had been the only one, HE would have done it still for love...What grace untold what love indeed, all for me, all for me. "
With all HIS love,
mitzi

"All For Me" by Jason Burton

A crown of thorns upon YOUR head.
Where one of gold should go instead.
Pressing down until YOU bled.
All for me, All for me.

Bruised and beaten by the crowd.
Mocked and scorned they led you out.
Grief and pain was all you found.
All for me, all for me.

Chorus:
If I had been the only one
You would have done it still for love
What grace untold what love indeed
All for me, all for me

Blood flowed down
Your wounded side
The people laughed
Your FATHER cried
The SON of GOD laid down to die
All for me, all for me

YOUR body weak and wracked with pain
The sinless one the KING of KINGS
Hung on a cross between two thieves
All for me, All for me

You took the chains so I'd go free,
All for me, All for me,
The spotless LAMB became unclean
All for me, All for me.


P.S. Last week, i shared about the role of the older women teaching the younger women...my sister-in-law shared this powerful video with me this week of a 92 year old woman who is a wonderful example to all of us. Thanks, Cheryl for sharing this with me...

Click the link for a powerful testimony:

YouTube - Elderly woman witnesses to man trying to rob her