“Was Abraham a Christian?” My seven-year old daughter asked me this question one day not too long ago. To quote my pastor, this was a teachable moment. I am ashamed to say that I almost said yes because (I thought) I was too busy to have a long discussion with her. I did tell her no, that Abraham was not a Christian because Jesus had not yet died for his sins. I further explained to her that Abraham did hear God’s voice, and he did obey God’s voice and that God loved him and took care of him. He was a man of great faith. Our conversation then evolved to discussing how Jesus died on the cross for our sins and how grateful we are that He chose to do this.
This line of conversation caused me to think about some of the people of the Old Testament and one story in particular—the story of Joshua and the wall of Jericho.
Shortly after the Israelites entered Canaan (Josh. 3), the Lord spoke to Joshua. He said, “See! I have given Jericho into your hand . . .” (Josh. 6:2). The Lord then explained how they would take Jericho. He gave Joshua very strict instructions on how to march, who should march, where people should be in the line, and how many times to march (Josh. 6:3-4). And, the Lord told Joshua exactly what was going to happen.
It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat (Josh. 6:5).
It goes without saying that the wall was massive in size. It had to be—that wall was the only thing protecting the city from intruders.
But the children of Israel, led by Joshua, obeyed the voice of the Lord. I believe this required great faith on their part, even though they knew the outcome.
Causing a wall to fall simply by marching around it and then shouting is impossible in the natural realm. Who would even try this on their own? In the spirit realm, this task is not impossible at all, for “…with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26b).
Recently, Father God has required a greater and deeper faith and trust in my life. As I have walked in this greater and deeper faith, I know that God is still God—no matter what circumstances I encounter or changes I must go through. My peace is in knowing that God is in control. He upholds all things by the word of His power.
Susan Yount is a Realtor with Keller Williams of Greater Springfield.
Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord (2 Cor. 2:12).
By Michael Lawrence
Shortly before our last supper together, I knew that the time of my departure was at hand. The fellows dining with me that night, except sadly the betrayer, were going to be staying in the world awhile longer, but I was going to disappear into that glorious invisible heavenly realm of Father’s from which I had come.1 But first I would have to face a final difficult assignment as a man. In one real sense, although I had become forever human, I had never left Father’s side. Or better put, he had never left mine. 2 He would soon have to leave me for a time, however, and that would be by far the worst component of the harsh assignment.3
In the same way that I as a human baby in time became increasingly aware of myself, my earthly environment, and other people, I also, after some necessary delay, began to be made progressively aware of my spiritual environment.4 But as a human being, it was an act of faith for me to believe all that was happening. Because before too long, it was like Father, invisible as ever, was always alongside or inside whispering things into my ear or into my thoughts. And as things progressed, whenever prompted, by faith I began to repeat parts of it in certain situations word for word.5 The closeness became such that if you heard from me you were hearing from Father. To see me in action was to see him.6 Once again, just as before time began, we became a great team.7
It is hard to describe the wonderfully complete satisfaction or the ensuing trouble, given the hostile environment in which we often found ourselves, that acting on such a oneness with Father had gained me.8
But there we were gathered on the eve of my departure, and I still had many things I wished to say to those men so dear to me. They had been with me for more than three years, but they were not yet able to bear all I wished to say to them. Even so, as prompted, I would tell them by faith a lot of things that night.
In reality, I would tell them only one thing but tell it in as many ways as it could be conveyed to them at the time. They were simply going to have to experience it before gaining any further understanding in the matter. Only then would other things that had been read or told to them since childhood in their homes or at their meeting places from books of law, books of prophets, and from psalms – only then would the reality of those things and others overheard for so long be truly grasped. It was crucial that they should now have some introductory lessons concerning the third member of our team – our Spirit of truth.9
At a certain point, I was made aware that my mother as a young woman had been the virgin of whom the prophet had spoken – the most favored one to bring forth me, a son miraculously generated from within her womb according to plan and by the person of whom I was about to speak. I had been allowed to discover my unique lineage by which from the womb I had been in spiritual union with both Father and Spirit.10
The work that Father had in mind for me started in earnest at the river with my relative, John, who baptized me. It was there that we both were allowed to see into the heavenly realm. We saw Spirit descending in the way that a dove dives from the sky. He did not inhabit a dove, as some continue to innocently teach in error, when he touched down weightlessly upon me. He, a person, a spirit being had poured his spirit-self over me, engulfing me like the anointing oil of old. He would remain upon me or within me, empowering me for the work ahead and the tests soon to come.11 He too would have to leave me for a time, however, when I came to the end of the most difficult of assignments.
So, knowing from where I had come and to where I was going, after supper I arose and began to teach by first washing and drying their feet.12 After-ward, I began to tell those with me that night – that small contingent of what would become a great nation – the good news.
It was Father’s desire and design that his house – his family – would in its entirety become his and my and Spirit’s dwelling place.13 The relationship, the oneness I had with Father, could also be theirs.14 Spirit would guide them into this truth. In the process, he would cause what was mine alone to be assigned also to them. In due course, he would take what had only been mine and simply declare it theirs as well.15 In the manner that my relationship as a man had developed with Father and Spirit – that is by faith – their relationship with us and with one another would likewise be developed.16
It was expedient to that desire that I accomplish the next assignment, return to the heavenly realm, only then to be able to send forth Spirit at the proper moment to begin that next phase.17 For I was the seed spoken of by Father to our ancestors and I knew it – or rather, as a man I believed it by faith. I was the seed through whom all nations would ultimately be blessed, but I also was keenly aware that the blessing could not begin in earnest unless the seed be brought low, even into the earth and unto death. Otherwise, I would remain a lone dwelling place of Father and Spirit.18
Before being brought low, I would be cruelly lifted up on a lonely hill, but by my being lifted up, we would cause all those chosen before time began to come to me – to us.19 By now I was quite familiar with the miraculous. Even so, I was human. As a man, I knew what I faced – what type of death awaited me.20 I did not know exactly what it would be like, having not yet actually experienced it.
After I was baptized and anointed for the task at hand, Spirit had led me into a wilderness area. There, following a time of fasting, our enemy of old had tempted me to change course, to become like him. Long ago he had successfully distorted Father’s image within mankind. He failed in the wild to do the same in me but did not completely give up the quest. He had chosen only to wait for a subsequent opportune time to strike again.21
That opportune time arrived when we left the upper room where I had eaten my last and went to a place familiar to us called Gethsemane. By now I was in agony of soul as a man for what awaited me unless Father intervened. To compound matters, the wicked one had returned to try again to tempt me to become like himself. My human body was reacting to the stress of the hour by perspiring profusely. It did not sweat drops of blood as is still taught innocently enough in error in some circles. The perspiration merely dropped to the ground like the blood from a cut finger when the heart under stress is pumping hard.
Father is greater than I, so I earnestly asked him to do what no one else could do. I asked, being in agony, more than once if he could let the hour pass for me, if there was another way for what we desired to be accomplished. There was not. I sought the comfort of those closest to me but they slept.22
Father would not leave me comfortless. Perfect love would cast out fear. The purpose of the hour, Father’s true nature, the promise of my resurrection to come – these and other truths came into my mind. As a man I chose by faith to trust Father again and, for a joy so surely set before me, endure what was to come. I had not been brought miraculously into the world to do my own will or to be served. Yet, no one could take my life. As a man I was granted the power to lay my life down that I might take it again, and that is what I did.23 It was a father’s love for me and for the other children that compelled him to let me do it. 24
Let this mind (attitude) be in you that was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking on the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, (by faith) He humbled Himself, and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:5-11).
…no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Cor. 1:29)…all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags (Is. 64:6).
These Scriptures brought tremendous freedom and peace to me when I was a young adult trying to do everything just right. I began to follow Paul’s words: “…worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3).
When one of our pastors asked my husband and I to help lead in a youth music band, I literally got a sick feeling in my gut because I did not want to go back into “performing.” I told my pastor how I felt, and he told me the Lord was capable of crucifying my flesh as I continued to yield to Him. He was right.
At every job interview I ever had, the employers would say, “You’re really not qualified for this position,” as they gave me the job. At work, if I sought to please the Lord, I did well; if I desired honor from men, I failed.
Now when I sense I’m getting into pride and fleshly confidence and seeking recognition, I must look to my pattern Jesus—who “made Himself of no reputation…humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death…” (Phil. 2:6-8). Here are some of Jesus’ own words:
…I do nothing of Myself…I always do those things that please Him (Father) (John 8:28-29).
I do not receive honor from men…How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? (John 5:41, 44)
As a man, Jesus was a humble Father-pleaser. That’s what I desire to be—because I know that’s how I will be satisfied in life.
Susan Yount is a Realtor with Keller 
