I AM A PILGRIM -JOURNEYING TO THE PROMISED LAND

I AM A PILGRIM -

JOURNEYING TO THE PROMISED LAND

by LILACLADY-JUNEBUG2

AS I BLOG,
I AM INTENSELY AWARE
THAT LIFE IS SHORT
I ONLY HAVE A SMALL BUBBLE OF TIME
IN WHICH TO LIVE
AND DO
AND BE
AND SEE
AND SAY
WHAT I WISH TO SAY.
SO
I WILL GIVE LIFE
ALL I HAVE
AND
JOURNEY  ON
TRAVELING LIGHT
LAYING ASIDE THE SIN THAT SO EASILY BESETS ME
AND LOOKING TO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF MY FAITH
HE SET THE PACE FOR ME
HE RAN THE RACE
AND HE IS WAITING FOR ME
TO ARRIVE ONE DAY
I KNOW WHO MY SHEPHERD IS.
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, MY KING AND MY GOD
IN HIM I HAVE BECOME A CHILD OF THE FATHER
IN HIM I HAVE ALL I NEED FOR MY JOURNEY
AS I KEEP IN MIND WHERE I AM GOING
I WILL REMEMBER TO PACK LIGHT
STAY FOCUSED
STAY IN THE WORD OF GOD
BANK ON GOD'S PROMISES TO ME TO SUPPLY MY NEED
HE HAS PROMISED TO BE WITH ME
IN EVERYTHING
THAT HAPPENS
TO ME.

HOW DO I KNOW ?
LET US CONSIDER IT.

I. 

I WILL TRAVEL LIGHT, AWARE THAT
OTHERS HAVE TRAVELED THIS WAY BEFORE 

Hebrews 11.39, 40

And these all, having obtained a good report through faith,

received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that 

they without us should not be made perfect.

FAITH IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT

Hebrews 11.6  

Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God 

must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that 

diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11. 1 

FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR,

THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN.

Hebrews 12.1,2
Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about with so great
a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which so easily beset us, and let us run
with patience the race that is set before us,
looking
unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before him,
endured the cross,
despising the shame,
and is set down
at the right hand of the throne of God.

I AM ON A JOURNEY  AS A CHILD OF THE KING
AS ONE OF HIS SHEEP IN HIS FLOCK,
I WILL HEAR HIS VOICE
AND FOLLOW HIM.

John 10.1 - 4
Verily, Verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but
climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.    But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.   To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.    And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.    

John 10. 7 - 11  Verily, Verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.   I am the door; by me if any man will enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.   I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.  

John 10. 14 -  I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.  

John 10.16  -  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also will I bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

II. 

I KNOW WHERE I AM GOING 

Hebrews 11. 8 - 10

By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should afterward receive for an inheritance, 

obeyed,

and he went out, not knowing whither he went,

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise,

as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles (tents) 

with Isaac and Jacob, 

the heirs with him,

of the same promise: 

FOR HE LOOKED FOR A CITY WHICH HATH

FOUNDATIONS, WHOSE BUILDER AND MAKER IS GOD.

+

III.I WILL KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE

                         John 14.1 - 3  

                       Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  Ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.

                        Titus 2.11 - 14

                       For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly (serious minded), righteously, and godly in this present world: Looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar (his very own)  people, zealous of good works.

 IV.I CAN BANK ON GOD'S PROMISES TO BE WITH ME

 IN EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO ME

ROMANS 8.1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

Romans 8.11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Romans 8.14 - 17  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.   For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, thereby we cry, Abba, Father.   The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ: if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.  

A blue rose may be hard to nurture 

and to keep 

but God has made us HIS RESPONSIBILITY 

He is the husbandman, the gardener

and will tend to what

needs

to be done

in my life

to keep me blooming and growing.

Romans 8.28 - 39

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.  What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? 

It is God that justifieth.

Who is he that condemneth? 

It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again,

who is even at the right hand of God,

 who also maketh intercession for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation, 

or distress, 

or persecution,

or famine,

or nakedness,

or peril,

or the sword?

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay, in all these things 

we are more than conquerors 

through him that loved us.

for I am persuaded

 that neither death, nor life, 

nor angels, nor principalities, 

nor powers, nor things present, 

nor things to come, nor height, 

nor depth, nor any other creature, 

shall be able to separate us 

from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  

WALKING BY FAITH - I KEEP CLIMBING

                          

Matthew 17.20  If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Luke 17.6 

If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and it should obey you.

In my next blog post I will discuss 

THE APPROPRIATE THINGS TO WEAR FOR THE JOURNEY

and

WHERE MY RESOURCE FOR SUPPLY IS FOUND

Here is a photo of the rocks along Canyon Highway

going from Cle Elum WA down to Ellensburg.

These rocks make me think of petrified elephants, so majestic are they.   

ANOTHER LOOK AT THE ROCKS ON THE ROAD BETWEEN

ELLENSBURG WA AND CLE ELUM WA.   

Note -  The whole point of having FAITH AS SMALL AS THAT OF A MUSTARD SEED,

IS THAT OBSTACLES IN OUR LIVES CAN BE MOVED, IF WE JUST BELIEVE.

FEAR, DOUBT, UNCERAINTY,  TEMPTATIONS, AND  DESPAIR CAN ALL BE OVERCOME, BY GOD'S GRACE, WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH.

CONDITIONS OF RECEIVING STRENGTH

                                         CONDITIONS OF RECEIVING STRENGTH

by 

William Henry Cash, Jr.  (1927 - 2012) 

by LILACLADY-JUNEBUG2

II  Cor. 12. 9 – 10	WEAKNESS
ISAIAH 40.29	NO MIGHT
ISAIAH 30.7	SITTING STILL
ISAIAH 40.31	WAITING ON GOD
ISAIAH 30.15	QUIETNESS
MALACHI 4.10	JOY IN THE LORD
ISAIAH 25.4	POOR
ISAIAH 25.4	NEEDY
PHILIPPIANS 4.13	ABIDING IN CHRIST
PHILIPPIANS 4.19	TRUSTING HIM FOR MY NEEDS
JAMES  3 + 4
PROVERBS

This piece of handwritten verses was noted with an address :    3409 Linda Vista Drive.

His Bible College & Seminary was called Linda Vista Baptist Bible College and Seminary, so I assume that he must have at this time been “considering” going to the college.   He did not apply to the school until 1948.  He was attending there in 1949.    

So, let us look at these verses.

II Cor. 12.9  - 10

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: 

for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Henry was, in 1948 attending what was then called the Linda Vista Baptist Bible College and Seminary, which was located at that time in Vista, California.   The importance of this little "paper" with these verses scratched on it can be noted by the fact that Henry had an affliction of stuttering.   When he came to know the Lord Jesus as his personal Savior at the age of 14,  he knew that God had called him into the ministry.   Here is what he looked like at that time.  This photo was taken of him when he celebrated his 14th birthday with his grandmother  Lenora Lee (Akins) Cash.

Meanwhile, I was in Massachusetts growing up.  When he was 14, I was the age 8 in 1941.  

In 1941  my little sister Dodie was born, and here I am with her at Cheshire Lake, Ma with my Aunt Patricia Irene Carpenter who was very dear to me.   My mother's sisters were "like big sisters" to me as I bounced from one place to another while Mother and Dad moved back and forth, due to the job conditions of that time.   I was 8  in 1941.   Here I am 9, as Dodie was born on December 27, just after Christmas, so this photo was taken in the summer of 1942.

This was Henry's Grandmother and Grandfather.   Henry's Grandfather Garrett Gibson Cash was a first cousin to Johnny Cash's father.   They had the same Grandfather.   I want you to know that Garrett and Lenora followed their little Grandson William Henry Cash - whom they called "Junie"  to California.   Along with their son  William Henry Cash - Henry's father - they labored in the sharecropping that made it possible for them to survive the hard times.

His Grandparents had a lot of faith.   It was rooted in the Word of God, not in any organization.

They had a deep love for their grandson, and it was a praise to God for their influence in his life. 

ISAIAH 40.29

He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

I think of how today there are those who complain and moan about the times.   We do not really know how bad it could be.  It was hard in those days.   And Henry set his face toward doing what was necessary to obey God when he knew he was saved, and called to preach.   He related to me how people thought they could tease him about his stuttering.   Yet it was his own family that received a sermon from God's Word the Holy Bible on Thanksgiving Day when Henry was 15.    The family had a number of misfortunes happening one after the other.   And then it seemed that everything was over at Thanksgiving Day - and so I understand the family wanted him to have that special blessing.    

Here is Henry, on the left, with his sister Lenore and his Dad and Mother, and his siblings.   Margaret on the left was born in 1936 the same as I was.

Today, as I reflect on how there were nine children in his family, and how God gave this dear young man the certainty of his life in the Lord Jesus Christ and in his Word.

How thankful I am that he found strength in his weakness.

After we married in 1960 - I often relied on his strength.  Yet this little piece of paper was kept securely in his files and he evidently used it often to preach from.  He never made a particular emphasis upon his stuttering.   He told me that he felt God did not take it completely away, as he needed to be kept humble.

 Here is Henry being attended to by his Best Man at our wedding.  John was four years younger than Henry, and was now taller than Henry.   May 7, 1960, Henry was 32.   He would be 33 on his birthday.

ISAIAH 40.31

BUT THEY THAT WAIT UPON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH; THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES; THEY SHALL RUN, AND NOT BE WEARY; AND THEY SHALL WALK, AND NOT FAINT.

ISAIAH 30.15

FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL; IN RETURNING AND REST SHALL YE BE SAVED; IN QUIETNESS AND IN CONFIDENCE SHALL BE YOUR STRENGTH AND YE WOULD NOT.

Here was my husband standing with my Mother and members of the family the day we got married.    May 7 1960.   You see, now, how it is that Henry always called me the "first" June Cash.   He married me before Johnny Cash married June Carter.   They were married sometime in the next year or so.   

Here we were.   How much I credit Henry's willingness to trust the Lord to "wait"  because he was NOT MARRIED WHEN I FOUND HIM - AND WHEN GOD PUT US TOGETHER IT WAS FOR KEEPS.   Oh ! I treasure that!   

If one of you reading this is worried about who you will marry, and will God provide, just take my advice.    IT IS BEST TO WAIT ON GOD, AND TO LET THE QUIETNESS AND CONFIDENCE OF GOD'S PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE TO BE FIRST AND FOREMOST.

Before we married Henry did much in ministry.

One of his highlights was always when someone came to know Jesus as their personal Savior, and follow the Lord in identifying themselves with the local church as a member.   Here in 1959 was a young man with him being baptized in Crescent Lake, OR.

In 1950 - 53  Henry was a missionary under what was then an outreach of Multnomah School of the Bible, called STUDENT MISSIONARY COUNCIL.  They ministered to folk in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and parts of North California.    This is a photo of his trailer parked in Shady Pine, Nevada.       

Here is the group he reached in the little place called Shady Pine, Nevada.     This was their meeting place.

Imagine being a young person and doing this

traveling on limited income

managing your finances

and sharing the Gospel from God's Word

as he did ?

(I am amazed at how people today do not 

ever seem to care about going to church,

or about digging into God's Word.

It is as though people think God does not have anything to offer them, except when they are in trouble.)

MALACHI 4.10

REAL JOY 

COMES FROM LETTING GOD HAVE YOUR POCKETBOOK

AND YOUR WALLET.

BRING YE ALL THE TITHES INTO THE STOREHOUSE, THAT THERE MAY BE MEAT IN MINE HOUSE, AND PROVE ME NOW HERE WITH, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, IF I WILL NOT OPEN YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN, AND POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING, THAT THERE SHALL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT. 

just think ! now !  When you have that cup of coffee ! 

                  The blessing of JOY will come when you give.

                   Think of an empty glass, and having someone 

                   keeping it full so that whenever you've emptied it

  

                   My ! O My !  it gets filled to the brim.

                  THERE IS A LITTLE SONG I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU - 

                      RUNNING OVER ! 

                      RUNNING OVER !

                        MY CUP ! IS FULL !

                      AND RUNNING OVER ! 

                                   SINCE THE LORD SAVED ME !

                             I'M AS HAPPY ! AS CAN BE ! 

                            MY CUP ! IS FULL ! 

                           AND RUNNING OVER! 

On the back of this photo is the statement 

This is my class at Shady Pine.  All of these girls made a decision for Christ.   

I see the smile on his face, and I know that his joy came from seeing people find the Lord. 

Malachi 3.17

And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

John 3.16

For God so loved the world that He 

gave his only begotten Son that whosoever 

believeth in him should not perish, 

but have everlasting life. 

Jesus, in telling the disciples to abide in Him, 

and in His Words, 

he says:  

John 15.11

These things have I spoken unto you

that my joy might remain in you, and that 

your joy might be full.

WHAT IS IT TO ABIDE IN CHRIST?

John 15. 4  Abide in me, and I in you.

John 15.7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,

ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

John 15.10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

that is where the joy comes ! 

John 15.11  

These things have I spoken unto yu

that my joy might remain in you

and 

that your joy might be full.

Which leads us to the next verse on his list for conditions of receiving STRENGTH.

ISAIAH 25.4  

Thou hast been a strength to the poor, 

a strength to the needy in his distress,

a refuge from the storm, 

a shadow from the heat, 

when the blast of the terrible ones 

is as a storm against the wall.

PHILIPPIANS 4.13

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

PHILIPPIANS 4.19

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

ABIDING IN CHRIST IS MADE POSSIBLE

AS I LEAN ON GOD TO 

GIVE THE STRENGTH

AND 

TO SUPPLY THE NEED.

For further study read 

James chapters 3 and 4

and 

look at the book of Proverbs.

I close with this thought.

Proverbs 1.23 through verse 33 

James ch. 3 - 18 

I John 2.28 

Little children, abide in him, that, 

when He shall appear, 

we may have confidence,

and not be 

ashamed at His coming.

Henry named this car LAZARUS because

he had to "see it get resurrected" so many times. He trusted the Lord.   As I look at how many miles he traveled those days, and see in his BUDGET book for 1950 - 53   I am awed at how he trusted the Lord to provide.    How I praise God for His supply.

I choose to trust Him for that supply of Strength.

How about you ?  Talk to the Lord today and bring to Him

your fears, your worries, your cares, and agree with Him on any matter that His Spirit shows you needs correcting and cleansing.

In ministry Henry and I went up to Appleton WA for a Wednesday night Bible Study - over a period of nine years.  About 1988 we went for a last visit to see our dear beloved ones there.   God was good to us.   The memory of the ministry we had is blessed with joy knowing that as God provided in days past, He will do so in the future.   He knows and cares, and will supply our need.

Philippians 4.13 - 19