Archbishop Gregory Holley

Forgiveness

The fact that our gospel is primarily and essentially a gospel of forgiveness is written large across the face of the sacred page. And this gospel of forgiveness meets the world’s deepest need. The bottom evil of the world is not poverty or ignorance, but sin. What humanity suffers most with is an uneasy conscience and a polluted soul. And it is with this that forgiveness deals with most effectively. We do, in the greatest of truth, receive the remission of our sins. [Acts 5:31]

The promise of forgiveness is sure only if we believe. With great difficulty humanity struggles in great difficulty to forgive themselves of sin committed. Now, what is the difficulty in the way of belief in forgiveness. It is undeniably a belief that rigid and immutable law reigns in the universe and that every broken law will exact its penalty. Law knows no mercy, and to talk of forgiveness in a world of law seems to be a stretch. But we are not in that rigid and soulless world --- we are in a world ruled and governed by a living God. [Psalm 51: 10-12]

Our relationship with the Father is not one of unyielding scrutiny. However when we begin to sow the seed of Holy Scripture into our minds and souls the inevitable happens. As life proceeds we cross the line of principle laid out carefully by the Word of God. Its knowledge calls us back to the starting place of obedience to the Word we know to be truth. It is exact, careful and effective. As humanity we sift through our feelings of the transgressions of others and sort our reactions with such knowledge. Jesus Christ is our high priest who has transcended earth and is able to look through the pain of the sin to the crest of the mountain of victory. Our promise of forgiveness is only intensified when we battle with sin, fail and return to the High Priest who feels our infirmities and waits to release the already obtained mercy upon our pathways. [Hebrews 4:12-16]

Forgiveness is not the remission of a penalty, it is a change of relationship; it is the substitution for alienation and estrangement of affection and love. Can God forgive like that? Yes, He can and does. But is that the whole of forgiveness? Or does the Gospel conception of forgiveness embrace also the idea of the remission of penalty? The Bible itself insists upon it that sin brings its inevitable penalty, which even the penitent sinner shall not escape. Yet the grace of God will bring man to release from the penalties of sin. The evil he did shall be destroyed and he himself shall be set, without spot or blemish, perfect before God’s throne. We who are corruptible have, by being born again, put on incorruption through mercy, grace and forgiveness. [I Peter 1:15-23]

How is this possible? We must remind ourselves of again of the living and redeeming God. The world is in the sphere of operations of a living and redeeming God. Now to assert that sin is eternal and unforgiveable in its effect is either to forget God entirely or to say that evil is stronger than God. When we say the effects of sin are eternal, we forget that the living God Himself comes to the forgiven man, and God in a man becomes a fountain of healing, cleansing, and restoring energy. He through the sacrifice of the sonship of Jesus Christ paid the atonement price for our sins with His own blood. [I John 2:2 / 4:10]

Even on the plane of our everyday life, love often interferes to prevent the infliction of the full penalty. Others will take upon themselves the burden , that the actual sinner may go free. This is the case of Jesus upon the Cross, we are ‘free from the law of sin and death.’ It is that death that makes it possible for God to pardon men freely while yet ‘doing right’ by the ethical order. We must remember that, though forgiveness is free, it is not cheap. It comes to us by the Cross and Passion of the Son of God. I hear the words of the Biblical writer, “We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Our ability to forgive becomes the fruit of our own reception of forgiveness of our own sins and the righteousness that we could never afford being ours through the sacrifice of the love of Jesus Christ! [John 3:16]

www.gaylasmagazine.com www.rolemodelsofamerica.org

The promise of forgiveness is sure only if we believe. With great difficulty humanity struggles in great difficulty to forgive themselves of sin committed. Now, what is the difficulty in the way of belief in forgiveness. It is undeniably a belief that rigid and immutable law reigns in the universe and that every broken law will exact its penalty. Law knows no mercy, and to talk of forgiveness in a world of law seems to be a stretch. But we are not in that rigid and soulless world --- we are in a world ruled and governed by a living God. [Psalm 51: 10-12]

Our relationship with the Father is not one of unyielding scrutiny. However when we begin to sow the seed of Holy Scripture into our minds and souls the inevitable happens. As life proceeds we cross the line of principle laid out carefully by the Word of God. Its knowledge calls us back to the starting place of obedience to the Word we know to be truth. It is exact, careful and effective. As humanity we sift through our feelings of the transgressions of others and sort our reactions with such knowledge. Jesus Christ is our high priest who has transcended earth and is able to look through the pain of the sin to the crest of the mountain of victory. Our promise of forgiveness is only intensified when we battle with sin, fail and return to the High Priest who feels our infirmities and waits to release the already obtained mercy upon our pathways. [Hebrews 4:12-16]

Forgiveness is not the remission of a penalty, it is a change of relationship; it is the substitution for alienation and estrangement of affection and love. Can God forgive like that? Yes, He can and does. But is that the whole of forgiveness? Or does the Gospel conception of forgiveness embrace also the idea of the remission of penalty? The Bible itself insists upon it that sin brings its inevitable penalty, which even the penitent sinner shall not escape. Yet the grace of God will bring man to release from the penalties of sin. The evil he did shall be destroyed and he himself shall be set, without spot or blemish, perfect before God’s throne. We who are corruptible have, by being born again, put on incorruption through mercy, grace and forgiveness. [I Peter 1:15-23]

How is this possible? We must remind ourselves of again of the living and redeeming God. The world is in the sphere of operations of a living and redeeming God. Now to assert that sin is eternal and unforgiveable in its effect is either to forget God entirely or to say that evil is stronger than God. When we say the effects of sin are eternal, we forget that the living God Himself comes to the forgiven man, and God in a man becomes a fountain of healing, cleansing, and restoring energy. He through the sacrifice of the sonship of Jesus Christ paid the atonement price for our sins with His own blood. [I John 2:2 / 4:10]

Even on the plane of our everyday life, love often interferes to prevent the infliction of the full penalty. Others will take upon themselves the burden , that the actual sinner may go free. This is the case of Jesus upon the Cross, we are ‘free from the law of sin and death.’ It is that death that makes it possible for God to pardon men freely while yet ‘doing right’ by the ethical order. We must remember that, though forgiveness is free, it is not cheap. It comes to us by the Cross and Passion of the Son of God. I hear the words of the Biblical writer, “We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Our ability to forgive becomes the fruit of our own reception of forgiveness of our own sins and the righteousness that we could never afford being ours through the sacrifice of the love of Jesus Christ! [John 3:16]

www.gaylasmagazine.com www.rolemodelsofamerica.org

Ever Been Broke Down On the Side of the Road?

This is a picture of the #2 piston on our 2005 Newmar with a Spartan Chassis powered by a Cummins 400 ISL shoved down the road shifting gears through an Allison 6 speed transmission. On our trip back from the cold north we had an unfortunate meltdown. A freakish failure of the wrist pin that holds the piston to the crankshaft caused it disintegrate and threw pieces through the side of the engine around Corsicana, Texas.  We coasted to the side of the road and called Spartan Chassis for warranty Road Service.

This turned out to be the best call we made in the whole drawn out process of repairs. Greg Rinehart became our Customer Service Representative and stayed with us throughout the whole saga. We pick up the coach tomorrow and get out of hotels and back in our home on the road.  I have not posted on this site for a few days because of our struggles Monday and Tuesday to get this finished.  I will write a more complete review later of the problems we encountered getting the service that this level of machinery requires.  Here are a few pictures.

Sean and I left Dallas Cummins with the bad news that the transmission had been broken during the engine failure and had to be towed to an Allison warranty shop in Dallas to be repaired.  Maybe two or three more weeks!

  I had a God moment and suggested to the Operations Manager that perhaps it was just a wire switched around and was immediately shot down as this being an impossibility. Well, I got the call from Greg at Spartan who had to pay for another tow ( as I can count 3 or 4 giant tow truck bills) to inform me that the transmission was fine and the wires were just switched around, if I understood him right.  Oh, boy!

Today I was the only one available to go and bring our JLG lift back to the La Porte operation for the construction project and it was quite a day but we are back and ready to head to Dallas Cummins in the morning to get the Coach and go to Mesquite for the Fellowship Regional Conference and try to forget all this drama for a while.

  Greg Rinehart of Spartan Chassis,  thanks again for being the sanity in the midst of the insanity!

Another Recycling Venture

A few days ago I went to pick up a few sea-going tankers.  Yes, the end result of container liners that turn any 20 foot sea-going container into a tanker vessel capable of hauling any non hazardous bulk product including bio-diesel and Solar bright (the whitener in paper). A friend of mine has invested 7 million into this project and the results are beginning to show.  The missing link to these bags are the recycling stations around the nation where these container in a bag setups arrive.  We are working on a plan to help churches and not for profits become financially blessed with participation in this venture.  Currently we need partners in Tennessee, Georgia, and Washington.  It is truly coming to a city near you.  If you have any ideas we are open and we certainly covet your prayers and blessings. As many of you know we have been blessed in dreaming up many  recycling efforts so we expect this to provide income, jobs and help for our environment.  Today, I am simply going to post the pictures of the bags, the separation of the valves, polyethylene and polypropolene sheeting's.  Enjoy!

                

A time trial of 4 men, one cutter and three helpers took 10 minutes to remove the valves, cut the polyethylene from the polypropylene sheets and stack it.  10 men completed 15 container in a bag setups in a little over 2 hours producing 2385 pounds of recyclable materials.

Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it.  Not only is it Biblical but practical. Need a blessing? Pray for what is in your hands and something will come into your hands to produce a blessing!  God is Great! 

Bishop

A Time to Think

Faithful and loyal readers:

I am taking a bit of a thinking time in my personal prayers. There are many things to be considered and I am clearing my mind for a few days.  Please be in prayer with me and wander back through the pages of the archives for things you might have missed.

On September 4th check back in and see some of thoughts I have been working on!

Have wonderful Labor Day!!  Bishop

Travelling Thru...

The blogger apologizes to the faithful readers.  The road this week has been long and winding.  On Monday on the parking lot of SaveMore in Chowchilla , California we entertained two pastor couples in the coach and left late for Phoenix around 4 in the afternoon. This put us coming through  Los Angeles around 7 pm which was perfect for the traffic and we pushed through to Redland, California to the Walmart parking lot.  On Tuesday morning we left for Phoenix through the beautiful mountain and desert ranges. Arriving in Phoenix early afternoon we hit the traffic and were bound up creeping through to Valley Cathedral.  Pastors Combs were waiting on us and we had about 45 minutes to get dressed and go with them to the arena for the Gaither Concert.  It was nice but on and on into the night and the next morning the blogger was feeling his two hour Texas time draw back and slept in till 8. The day was full of meetings and tours and the great church in the evening!  Today we breezed out of Phoenix and came through to Ft Stockton Texas where the coach was positioned on yet another Walmart lot and the satellite up.  So the blogger sits and cks tons of emails and figures he better apologize for not publishing.  Look for Sundays blog as the publishing will be back on schedule.  Tomorrow we finish the 530 miles home and you know what happens when we hit there.  No, not the businesses or the church but grandkids!!!  Jakes  5th birthday party is Saturday and our Role Models Meeting is Saturday night.  Men meet me for a special video on Fathers at 7.  Thanks again for your prayers!!! obsipo 

Maundy

Angels Watching Over!

Going down to Jackson was a Johnny Cash favorite and the blogger can't help but hum the tune he doesn't know the words to every time he takes the northward turn off of I 10 on to I 12 and then on to 55 North. Having barreled through these woods for more nearly 40 years brings back the memories of the hand of the Lord through His angels on more than one occasion.  This time of the year is exceptionally tender as we spend time with His thoughts and the last week of His earthly life.  Good Friday will come, we will all be in the Sanctuary, the candles will flicker as communion promises are made but Resurrection Day is coming bringing all the joy of a time considered.

At 17 coming out of Vicksburg, Mississippi in a brand new VW Super Beetle the nose pointed northward and headed for Jackson.  Stereo blaring Walter and Tremaine Hawkins, the mind drifting over the Services that Sunday had displayed the young driver forgot how tired he was. The night drew on as the Natchez Trace exit appeared and the down shift was made exiting on to one of the prettiest drives in the country, that is in the daytime. At night it just gets darker.  And the head began to nod. And sleep came. And so did the tree that the little bug found itself wrapped around.

Blaring sirens headed toward the stretch of road where the young evangelist lay dazed and feeling dead. The surreal hands lifting up the body, the gurney rolling hurriedly toward the ambulance and again with sirens blaring off to Kosciusko, Mississippi.  At the hospital the wallet being gone through yielded the name of who to call in case of emergency and with number in hand on the other end of the phone help threw on their clothes as the mercy mission was engaged.

Looking at the bug the next day and interviewing with the Trooper it was plain to see that their had been Angelic assistance in this accident. The blogger did not make it to Tupelo that night but the lesson was learned and never forgotten. There are angels watching over us! Tonight the blogger sits on the Walmart parking lot in his rolling hotel in Tupelo with yet another story to tell about going down to Jackson.

The angels began watching on Sunday, yes another run on a Sunday night, as one of our close financial elders saw the coach rolling out of its warehouse and with open prayer he and his wife spoke the covering of the angels over their Obispo and wondered where he was off to again.  Early Monday morning the phone rang outside of Memphis and the elder said to the blogger, "Where are you now?" And with a laugh the reply was the coach was fastly approaching Memphis and the meetings that would occur.  With serious tone the elder spoke of his sighting of the coach the night before and how they were called to pray over the trip!

Without hesitation the conversation turned to Jackson and the occurrence coming through on Monday Morning earlier.  Driving in fog through the woods the turn of the road came and the freeway traffic was at a standstill. Applying the brakes and let the engine breathe enacted what is called the Jake brake slowing... But will it be enough? Pressure applied again sending the second stage of the Jake brake gearing down the engine and it was not enough. Then the prayer....

Lord Jesus, make a way was the cry as the back of a Nissan with two smiling little kids in the back window were spotted. The voice spoke, "Look to the right." Whipping the head, seeing the opening, wrenching the steering wheel and with inches to spare the shift was made avoiding the collision.  Yes, Jackson taught me years ago to look and listen for you do not know when you need the activation of the angels that are watching over you!

Bug Guard Reinstalled!

Having received the Bug Guard repaired from the craftsman the blogger eyed the pretty face of the Coach and wondered how anyone could design something and then have to cover it up to keep it pretty. After returning from San Marcos, Durango on that fateful trip that tore into the Bug Guard's skin a repainting of the face was undertaken. It seems the Bug Guard had not been used previously , rocks and road debris took their toll on the face and then to brighten the face the Bug Guard was put on as a remedy.

This time the reason of the installation is different. This time it is as it was designed. The Bug Guard designer fashioned his creation to protect the pretty face of the Coach so that when in nice RV parks and settings deserving it could be removed and the pretty face would shine like it was meant to. Sounds to the blogger as though this is as many things.  We mess it up, cover it up with something not designed to cover and find ourselves in a worse condition.

Humanity was designed with a pretty face illuminated by the spirit within. And then life takes its toll and in normal circumstances the life becomes marked with each thrown rock or flung debris. The book of books teaches that there is a Bug Guard for our protection and is in fact called armor. It is designed that the spirit man protect the natural man, the spirit mind to protect the natural mind.  A Bug Guard.

It seems that when a tear or disfigurement comes into the Bug Guard after a painful life experience our first option is not to think as man or woman of the universal kingdom but to hunker down into a self defending, self assessing style of human government. We throw the Bug Guard into the recesses and say someday that we will repair it and bring the protection it affords back into fruition. Yet it requires, as it did the blogger, to push back the prideful renditions of the reason, take it to the repairer of the breach, who according to the book of books is the master craftsman, receive the assessment, agree to pay the price (one will find as the blogger found it had already been paid) and reinstall the confidence of the Bug Guard for the mind and spirit of a very natural being.  And as the blogger concludes, "Everyone needs a Bug Guard."

Repair of the Bug Guard...

After much consternation the Bug Guard was dug out of its dark den and the decision was made to repair it. Now who is going to repair this kind of cover in Mexico. Turning to Maurice, the everything man, inquiries were made as to who could fix this. And just like everything else the hard part is getting it out of the dark and confessing the loss to another.

When something is broken, torn or not in order to hand it to another is part of the repair.  It must be examined by a master craftsman who can prescribe the proper method to bring it back to it usefulness. Trying to explain what it was for was beyond the comprehension of the craftsman who had most undoubtedly not seen a Coach and so we likened it unto a big truck. Now isn't that like humanity, twisting and turning to put the needed repair into the best light possible. It could have easier been said, "It is broken and the blogger cannot repair with beauty so will you please repair."

Time had come for the repair to be assessed. The blogger has learned in the past 30 years that when a craftsman is asked to repair it is best to let him do it at his best judgement. Upon assessment he agreed to do the work. In Mexico money is discussed after the job ordinarily but we asked humbly for an approximate cost. Repairs always come at a cost. The craftsman replied, "60 pesos" or about $6.  Our reply was that should he be able to repair by the next morning we would pay "100 pesos" or about $9 or $10.  We have learned it is better to offer above and beyond and recieve proper repairs. Not a weakness,  a wisdom.

After the agreement the craftsman disappeared to the back room and reappeared with a much better piece of leather with which to repair with. Hurried repairs have left their toll on the blogger and though the American mind within wants everything now the only desire now is for a good and sturdy repair. The blogger wants to return the Bug Guard to its usefulness.

Turning back to his sewing machine and other pressing work the craftsman left us to our own world till the next morning. The blogger wonders out loud what the Coach will look like again with the Bug Guard on. Now that it will be repaired and confessions have been made the Bug Guard will go back to it original plan. To guard from rock and road debris the pretty face of the Coach.... but that's tomorrows story...

What Happened to the Bug Guard?

                           

While fueling, headed to Mexico a week ago Sunday, our fuel stop was a Love's in South Texas. The fuel flowed and the perfunctory walk around was in order. Kicking tires, checking tow rigging, lights, making sure satellite and antennaes were in order the nose of the coach cried for attention. It had a repainting of the nose a few months back because of rock chips and various nicks of the road. Now they were beginning to show again.  And then the hidden came to light. No Bug Guard.

What happened to the Bug Guard?  Well it's kinda like parts of our life. Many times the Coach had crossed the Mexico line hauling the blogger and various items through. Stuffed away deep in the recesses of the Coach luggage bin was a sad and pitiful sight. A hidden truth waiting to be addressed by the blogger but all the time making all the proper excuses. "The nose of the Coach is so much prettier without it or It looks newer with the nose shining." But truth cried from the belly of the coach....

So purposing in the heart to dig it out once at the destination in Costa Esmeralda I fled the origination of the hiding of that which protects from rocks, the Bug Guard. It seems that while travelling to San Marcos, Durango last year we met with some road construction. Late for the next appointment at a church 30 Kilometers down a dirt, rocky road and 5-15 mph travel the blogger chose to be detoured into a ravine and back up again onto the so called road. It was in this dip of the Coach that the front right corner of the Coach ran aground and we pushed through upon to the road again.

Upon arrival at the church the anxious crowd took our attention and as the food began to flow out of the trucks into the pantry the horrible road was forgotten.  No one had ever seen that big of a "casa" on wheels and certainly did not know what to think when the slides push out of its sides and the Datastorm began to search the night sky for where on earth we might be. The day was forgotten. The night was good. No harm done. But was there hidden pain somewhere...?

Getting ready to leave the next day the perfunctory walk was made. Tires good, tow rigging good, satellite down, antannaes down, slides in and then the front... There it was at the lower right hand corner of the Bug Guard. A hole about the size of two hands and the heart sank just knowing the Coach was crushed as well... But no, its not crushed, not even a scratch, the Bug Guard protected it. Well, the blogger knows what to do before getting back to the public eye where the wife,Gayla and a few men find out... He'll just take off the Bug Guard and throw it below and tell everybody it looks better without it....

Tomorrow: So that's what the Bug Guard is for....