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