Life Along the Way

By Donna Lewis Abrams

Life Along the Way is a collection of insights the Lord opened up to me as I walked with Him daily. I love reading the scriptures. I believe the Holy Spirit speaks to us about Jesus through the scriptures. If you want to know Him, read them.

As I posted excerpts from these writings on Facebook, I received positive feedback. I did not want to face the Lord one day and have to explain to Him why I had taken what He had given me and just buried it in the dirt. (Matthew 25:18). So here it is, Life Along the Way. Whatever is of Him will not return void. Whatever is of me, may He blow away as useless, for it surely is. To God be the glory, for only He can give life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512781373

Donna Lewis Abrams

Donna Lewis Abrams was born and raised in middle Georgia in and around the tiny town of Shady Dale. Her parents, Hugh and Lola Lewis, saw to it that she and her sister, Linda, were with them in church every week. Linda was the indoor bookworm; Donna, the outdoor nature enthusiast. (She still is!) Donna received the Lord Jesus as her Saviour when she was twelve, but it was when she was in her late twenties that personal problems.... (Oh, let's just call it what it was--sin!) pushed her to seek and find more of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Donna enjoyed a successful career in teaching for thirty-three years. Her second career, caregiver to her elderly parents, lasted twenty years. Her father died at ninety-nine April 15, 2016. Her mother and husband preceded him in death in 2004 and 2013.

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 Donna Lewis Abrams.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

All scripture quotes are from the King James version of the Bible.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-5127-8139-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-8138-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-8137-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017904554

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/03/2017

Contents

1 A Sent Word

2 Afterward

3 As They Went

4 Baptized with Fire

5 Bearing with Jesus

6 Behold a Mystery

7 Big Experience

8 Brought Nigh by the Blood, not Doctrine

9 Carrying Precious Spices

10 Castaway

11 Constraints on Jesus

12 Being Delivered

13 Be Not Afraid but Speak

14 Draw Me and We Will Run

15 Ears to Hear … What a Blessing!

16 Finding Brethren

17 Forward on Their Journey

18 From That Time Forth

19 Fruit to Perfection

20 God’s Timing in a Fish

21 Hearing and Seeing

22 Prisons and Prisoners

23 Other Prisons and Prisoners

24 In Between Prisons

25 Is the Old Better?

26 Judging

27 Knowing What Is in Man

28 Knowledge of Salvation or Life?

29 Life in the Cross

30 Small Things

31 Living after Death

32 Memorials

33 Offended at Him

34 Our Gospel

35 Our Own I AM Moment

36 Patmos

37 Pressing and Walking

38 Seeing Jesus for Yourself

39 Slain Before

40 Such a Man

41 The Captain

42 Authority in Submission

43 The Deeds of the Nicolaitans

44 The DNA of Jesus

45 The First Song

46 The True Witness

47 The Worship of Two Women

48 Thou Art an Offense unto Me

49 Time

50 Treasures in Darkness

51 Underneath Us

52 Watching in Expectation

53 We Can Do Nothing Against the Truth

54 We See Jesus Crowned!

55 When Jesus Appears Differently

56 Why Haven’t You Mourned?

57 Why Jesus Is Hated

58 Ye Know Not

59 Yoked with Christ

Thank you, Lord, for your Life. Thank you, Linda, my sister twice, for your love and encouragement. Thank you, precious brothers and sisters in Christ, for putting up with me all these years, for instructing me in the gospel, and growing me in Jesus by your love and example.

1

A Sent Word

S econd Timothy 3:16 says that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Jesus says in John 14:26, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

How wonderful it is when the Holy Spirit brings a scripture to you that just fits the situation in which you find yourself. This is the reason we need to read the scriptures consistently on a daily basis. Will He bring to your remembrance what you have never read? Possibly, but it is more likely to happen if you have read it.

There have been many times when the Lord sent a scripture to help me when I was in a rough spot. One I remember well happened during the years I was taking care of both my parents. It was near Christmas. My mother wanted to go to Macy’s. She was not in the wheelchair yet, but close to needing one, as her knees were caving in with arthritis. Walking was a slow and painful process.

The parking lot was crowded, but I saw a man in a handicap spot putting a wheelchair in a van. We had a handicap sticker, so I pulled up near him, turned on my blinker indicating I wanted his parking spot, and waited.

There was a car parked in front of Macy’s at the entrance. The car had no blinker on, so I supposed the two young men and child in it were waiting to pick up someone coming out of the store.

When the van left, I pulled into the handicap space. I got out just as the car parked in front of Macy’s sped by with the driver shouting. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but a lady walking by said to me, Did you hear what he was saying to you? He was threatening you. I had not heard specifics due to the sound of the car motor. I thought that was the end of it, but not so.

I helped Mother out of the car and into the store. No sooner were we inside when I was confronted by a raging man six inches from my face. He was livid, screaming that I had taken his parking place. I told him I was sorry that I had not realized he wanted it, as I saw no blinker flashing and thought he was parked at the entrance to pick someone up. I pointed to my mother, who was standing there frightened and wide-eyed.

The man continued swearing and yelling; then a scripture leaped into my mind, A soft answer turneth away wrath (Proverbs 15:1). Boy, this was surely the right time to try that!

Looking into his angry face, I said, I will pray for you and ask God to forgive you for the way you are speaking to one of His children. His shoulders slumped. His demeanor changed, and he told me to forget it, as he walked away to join his very embarrassed friend and child.

What a wonderful thing when the Lord sends His word into a situation! There are no formulas when walking with the Lord. If we abide in the vine, read the scriptures, and yield our lives to Him, then we can know more and more what it is like to live and move and have our being in Him (Acts 17:28). He will send His word, just the one we need, and at just the right time.

2

Afterward

I n John 13:33-38, Jesus was preparing His disciples for His soon-coming departure. He told them He was going away. They would seek Him, but would not be able to find Him, that is, not until afterward. Of course, we know Peter vowed he would follow and even lay down his life for the Lord. His intentions were noteworthy, but Peter needed an afterward in his life. We all do.

The events would fall into place with the precision of eternal design: the garden, the betrayal, the arrest, the mocking, the torture, the denials, the crucifixion, death, and burial. Then, oh yes, then the afterward: resurrection, ascension, coming of the Holy Spirit, and finally, His return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Oh, the blessedness of the afterward!

Our lives are made up of seasons spent waiting for the afterward of events in which we find ourselves. We experience this and wonder about that. Sometimes we discover the afterward in this life. Sometimes we will not, until eternity removes the darkened glass completely, and we see face to face. However, and whenever, the Lord will give us understanding in all things.

In Hebrews 12:11 scripture tells us, "Now … no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous, nevertheless afterward, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Afterward comes the fruit. God is more concerned with our fruit than with our comfort. His eye is set on His purpose in the afterward".

Jesus certainly had His determination grounded in the afterward. Scripture tells us in Hebrews 12:2 that for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross. He saw the afterward that was coming! He was able to endure the horror of it all because He knew what was coming afterward … He would bring many sons and daughters to glory! Redemption would be completed for humankind!

However much we scream, complain, resist, weep, and demand, God is still bent on afterward. He knows how to make His servants stand and is relentless in doing so. For us to be in the great company of overcomers, there must be something in life to overcome.

When we do not understand the circumstances in which we find ourselves, or those we love, when we are swimming in deep waters, gasping and hardly staying afloat, we do well to remember Proverbs 29:11, which reads… "A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it till afterwards." Be still and know that He is God. There will be an afterward!

3

As They Went

I n Luke 17:11-19, Jesus was journeying to Jerusalem when He met ten men who were lepers. They were standing afar off, as required by law. When they knew it was Jesus passing by, they cried out to Him for mercy. When Jesus saw them, He did not speak healing to them, or forgive their sins. In verse 14, scripture says, "And when He saw them, He said unto them, ‘Go show yourselves unto the priests.’ And it came to pass, that, as they went they were clea nsed ."

These lepers went on a word from Jesus, and they were healed as they went. He sent His word and healed them. There has to be a sending of the word. We can never rule out the Living Word sending the written word. When the Living Word sends the written word, there is always creation.

Where we often bring confusion is when we try to implement the written word apart from the Living Word. It’s like holding a plug in our hand near the wall socket without inserting it into the wall; no connection, no power. We need both, for the Living Word, Jesus, has fulfilled the written word and has been exalted above all. He is the Word of God!

In Mark 12:1-11, Jesus gives the parable of the husbandmen. A man planted a vineyard, left it in charge of husbandmen, and went into a far country. He sent a series of servants to check on the fruit. These servants were beaten and mistreated. At last he sent his son, expecting the husbandmen to respect him. However, they killed the son and seized his inheritance for themselves. Jesus said the owner of the vineyard would