{"id":4601,"date":"2012-02-03T14:39:40","date_gmt":"2012-02-03T14:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/?p=4601"},"modified":"2012-02-03T14:40:57","modified_gmt":"2012-02-03T14:40:57","slug":"witness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/?p=4601","title":{"rendered":"Witness"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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witness\u00a0|\u02c8witnis|noun<\/p>\n

2\u00a0[\u00a0intrans.\u00a0]\u00a0(\u00a0witness to)\u00a0give\u00a0or\u00a0serve\u00a0as\u00a0evidence of; testify to\u00a0:\u00a0his writings witness\u00a0to\u00a0an\u00a0inner\u00a0toughness.\u2022\u00a0(of\u00a0a\u00a0person)\u00a0openly\u00a0profess\u00a0one’s religious faith in\u00a0:\u00a0one of the purposes of\u00a0his\u00a0coming\u00a0was\u00a0to\u00a0nerve\u00a0the\u00a0disciples\u00a0to\u00a0witness\u00a0to\u00a0Jesus.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Yesterday I shared about a monumental spiritual battle I’ve been watching, and been involved in my self. \u00a0I’ve had several close friends call and ask if I was o.k. and if I wanted to talk about the situation. First and more on this later, yes I’m o.k., actually much better than just o.k. \u00a0Secondly I can’t talk about it because to describe what the situation is about would expose a lot of other people who are party to the conflicts. \u00a0My purpose is not to bring hardship on anyone, even if they are acting in the wrong way, but to pray for them, and pray that they wake up and see the destruction they have caused. \u00a0As I shared yesterday, my first reaction was to attack back at the perpetrators. \u00a0After a lot of thought, prayer, and talking to a trusted brother, it became obvious that as much as I would have enjoyed, (temporarily), the satisfaction of “getting even” that is simply not God’s way. \u00a0I’m so thankful for that, I can’t imagine how terrible my life would be if God chose to “get even” with me!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Today I want to spend a moment on the results of following His way. \u00a0First a scripture to base our conversation on;<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Matthew 5 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0New Living Translation (NLT)<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
\n

The Sermon on the Mount<\/span><\/h4>\n

1<\/sup> One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2<\/sup>and he began to teach them.<\/p>\n

The Beatitudes<\/h5>\n
\u00a03<\/sup> \u201cGod blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,<\/span>
\nfor the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.<\/span><\/div>\n
4<\/sup> God blesses those who mourn,<\/span>
\nfor they will be comforted.<\/span><\/div>\n
5<\/sup> God blesses those who are humble,<\/span>
\nfor they will inherit the whole earth.<\/span><\/div>\n
6<\/sup> God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,<\/span>
\nfor they will be satisfied.<\/span><\/div>\n
7<\/sup> God blesses those who are merciful,<\/span>
\nfor they will be shown mercy.<\/span><\/div>\n
8<\/sup> God blesses those whose hearts are pure,<\/span>
\nfor they will see God.<\/span><\/div>\n
9<\/sup> God blesses those who work for peace,<\/span>
\nfor they will be called the children of God.<\/span><\/div>\n
10<\/sup> God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,<\/span>
\nfor the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.<\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a011<\/sup> \u201cGod blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you\u00a0and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12<\/sup> Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h5>\n
Teaching about Salt and Light<\/h5>\n

13<\/sup> \u201cYou are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.<\/span>\u00a014<\/sup> \u201cYou are the light of the world\u2014like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.<\/span> 15<\/sup> No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.<\/span> 16<\/sup> In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. \u00a0 * (one of the scriptural basis for His Light)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

I’m going to share something deeply personal in the hope that it will speak to your heart. \u00a0The battle that I have been waging (spiritual) had robbed me of my peace. \u00a0Peace comes from being fully in God’s will. \u00a0I wasn’t. \u00a0I was angry, I knew terrible wrongs were being committed against people I loved. and I wanted to put a stop to it. \u00a0The problem was I was inventing ways to solve the issue in my own mind and strength. \u00a0Once again, that is not God’s way. \u00a0If you think about it, If we can’t trust God to solve the problems we face, would would be the reason to follow Him? \u00a0If in the end, we had to do all it ourselves, He wouldn’t be God! \u00a0But He is! \u00a0In all of this God has never changed, but I did, I was counting on myself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The other night after writing the blog entry and spending some quiet time with Him, I told my wife I was going to the bed to pray. \u00a0When I was a little child my mother and father taught me to kneel at my bed to pray, to this day it is my favorite place to bow down and seek Him. \u00a0Kneeling for me in an acknowledgement of His majesty and authority. \u00a0I would bow to no man, but find it comforting, and proper to bow before Him. \u00a0So I bowed at my bed and started to pray. \u00a0The prayer went something like this;<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Father I know I have been wrong to try and resolve these conflicts myself, I can see I couldn’t change the people involved, including myself, even if I tried with all my might. \u00a0I know that only you can change our hearts. \u00a0I don’t want to win or be right, I want to be yours, ands serve you. \u00a0I want to love my enemies as Jesus loved those that crucified Him. \u00a0I release these people (I named them) to you. \u00a0I trust you to deal with the circumstance and I know you love them and I want them to be on their knees before you as well seeking your will in their lives. \u00a0I want to handle this myself, but I know \u00a0I’m wrong to feel that way, and I am letting go of this through your strength and in order to be obedient to you. \u00a0I’m so glad I can turn to you when I know I’m powerless to change the world I live in. \u00a0I love you Father, thank you for loving me, and forgiving me. \u00a0In Your Son’s Precious name I pray. \u00a0 Amen”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Most of that prayer was prayed with fits of uncontrollable sobbing. \u00a0God broke my will, and touched my heart deeply as I let go of the situation and gave it to Him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is my witness. \u00a0I slept better than I have in months, I awoke feeling free and knew God had control of the situation! \u00a0I’ve had a peace that passes all understanding since that prayer. \u00a0I know He is working out the solution to this issue as I write this. \u00a0Is life easy? \u00a0No, we are faced with constant conflicts, sorrows, and pain, but we have our Heavenly Father to turn to and seek His love, forgiveness and the wonderful peace that comes with a relationship with Him. \u00a0Best of all I do not constantly rehash all the awful details and think about what to do. \u00a0I know God is at work, and He will prompt me to act, in His way, when the time is right.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Have a wonderful weekend, spend some of your time seeking Him, I can promise you the results will be peace and great joy!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

the pilgrim<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  witness\u00a0|\u02c8witnis|noun 2\u00a0[\u00a0intrans.\u00a0]\u00a0(\u00a0witness to)\u00a0give\u00a0or\u00a0serve\u00a0as\u00a0evidence of; testify to\u00a0:\u00a0his writings witness\u00a0to\u00a0an\u00a0inner\u00a0toughness.\u2022\u00a0(of\u00a0a\u00a0person)\u00a0openly\u00a0profess\u00a0one’s religious faith in\u00a0:\u00a0one of the purposes of\u00a0his\u00a0coming\u00a0was\u00a0to\u00a0nerve\u00a0the\u00a0disciples\u00a0to\u00a0witness\u00a0to\u00a0Jesus.   Yesterday I shared about a monumental spiritual battle I’ve been watching, and been involved in my self. \u00a0I’ve had several close friends call and ask if I was o.k. and if I wanted to talk about the situation. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chronicles"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4601"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4601\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4604,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4601\/revisions\/4604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}