On Being a Christian Slave - An Adopted Slave of Christ - A Love Story

COPYRIGHT © 2/4/2011
This file, in its entirety, may be posted on or copied off of computer networks
like Internet or WWW by anyone so inclined as long as it is not changed and
the author is acknowledged.
By L. Tyler2/4/11
http://biblicalmaturity.yuku.com/topic/60/On-Being-a-Christian-Slave-A-Slave-of-Christ
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49154160

[1.] Slaves of King Jesus, or slaves of sin and death?

[2.] Even Jesus became a slave in order to . . .
[3.] Having been bought by Jesus, we are now . . .
[4.] Genuine Christians, as slaves of King Jesus, are . . .
[5.] As His adopted children and slaves, He tells us to . . .
[6.] By this we know that we have known Him,
by . . .
[7.] A Love Story, A Standard For Love

John MacArthur has had a great series on what it means

for genuine Christians to be slaves of Christ. It can
really help you understand your status and role in this
life with Jesus.
http://www.gty.org/Shop/Audio+Lessons/41-54_The-Greatness-of-Being-a-
Slave

[1.] Before genuine Christians become slaves of King

Jesus, they were slaves of sin and death.
***and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of
righteousness. Romans 6:17-19 English Standard Version
***I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of
your flesh For just as you presented your members as slaves to
impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further
lawlessness, . . .Romans 6:18-20 New American Standard
Bible
***However at that time, when you did not know God, you were
slaves to those which by nature are no gods. Galatians 4:7-9
New American Standard Bible
***For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray,
slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in
malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. Titus
3:2-4 English Standard Version
[2.] Even Jesus became a slave in order to buy us in
the slave market that is this world.
***Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave,
taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man
in His external form, . . . . Philippians 2:6-8 Holman Christian
Standard Bible

His suffering and death on the cross was the price

Jesus paid for us to become His eternal slaves. We are
now His possession, His slaves and no one, not even
ourselves, can take us away from Him.
*** 14 "I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me,
15as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life [the life
of His body] for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep that are not of this fold
[Israel]; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there
will be one flock, one Shepherd. 17 This is why the Father Loves Me, because
I am laying down My life so I may take it up again. . . . 27 My sheep hear My
voice, I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal Life, and they
will never perish —ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My
Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to
snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 The Father and I are One." John 10
***"13 . . . The body is not intended for sexual immorality, but [is
intended] for the Lord, and the Lord [is intended] for the body [to save,
sanctify, and raise it again]. . . . 15 Do you not see and know that your
bodies are members (bodily parts) of Christ (the Messiah)? . . . . 19 Do you
not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy
Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God?
YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN. 20 YOU WERE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE
[purchased with His preciousness and paid for by Him, made His own]. So
then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body [the body of which
you are now Christ's steward]. From AmpB 1 Cor 6
***You were bought with a price; . . . .1 Corinthians
7:22-24

[3.] Having been bought by Jesus, we are

now His slaves.
*** Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an
apostle and singled out for God's good news —
Romans 1:1-3 Holman Christian Standard Bible
***But now having been set free from sin, and
having become slaves of God, you have your fruit
to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. Romans
6:21-23 New King James Version
***I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So
then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law
of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin. Romans
7:24-25 Holman Christian Standard Bible
***For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is
a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free
when called is a slave of Christ. 1 Corinthians
7:21-23 English Standard Version
***For am I now trying to win the favor of people,
or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were
still trying to please people, I would not be a slave
of Christ. Galatians 1:9-11 Holman Christian
Standard Bible
***Don't [work only] while being watched, in order
to please men, but as slaves of Christ, do God's
will from your heart.
Ephesians 6:5-7 Holman Christian Standard
Bible
***Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus: To all
the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,
including the overseers and deacons. Philippians
1:1-3 Holman Christian Standard Bible
*** Paul, a slave of God, and an apostle of Jesus
Christ for the faith of God's elect and the
knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,
Titus 1:1-3 Holman Christian Standard Bible

MacArthur points out that many Bible

translators have feared how people might
react to the words "slave" and "slavery" so
the mistranslated the Greek and rendered it
as "servant" or "bondservant." They cloak the
concept of slavery with the word "bondservant", which is
a slave "bound in service without wages," because it is
easier on the ears and emotions of the reader and his/her
independence. The HCSB does a much better job giving
us an honest translation, translating it as "slave."
***1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus . . . or "1 Paul,
a servant of Christ Jesus" - Romans 1:1-3 NASB, AmpB,
ESV, NKJV
****** Paul, a slave (Strong's 1401) of Christ Jesus,
(Strong's 1401) dou~lov, — doo’-los; a slave (literal or
figurative, involuntary or voluntary; frequently therefore in a
qualified sense of subjection or subserviency): — bond (-man),
servant.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon renders (1401 doulon) as “a slave, bondman, man of servile
condition” . . . “one who gives himself up wholly to another’s will,” and so "devoted to
another to the disregard of one’s own interests." This does not describe Americans
today who find it abhorrent to be in a servile condition, given up wholly to another's will,
and so "devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests." In our world today
with its "rights" and "special interests" the thought of being the servile slave of another is
offensive and upsetting. Since most are spiritually blind and dead in their sins, their
reaction is no surprise. They can't accept the fact that we little finite mortals are either
the slaves of sin and death or we are the slaves of Christ. There is no third option.

Even most genuine Christians do not understand slavery as Jehovah-Jesus ordained it

in the OT. A single Israeli woman who became the slave of a man became his wife, who
he was instructed to Love and cherish (Exodus 21:7-11). In the year of Jubilee slaves
were freed, debts were forgiven and lands returned to their original owners (Lev 25).
Leviticus 25 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
39 "If your brother among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you,

you must not force him to do slave labor. 40 Let him stay with you as a hired
hand or temporary resident; he may work for you until the Year of Jubilee. 41
Then he and his children are to be released from you, and he may return to
his clan and his ancestral property.

[4.] Genuine Christians as slaves of King Jesus are his

adopted sons. So we are constrained by His Love to be in a
servile condition with Him, to give our selves up wholly to
His will and devote ourselves to Him and His interests to
the "disregard" of our "own interests."
*** . . . YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN. 20 YOU WERE BOUGHT WITH A
PRICE [purchased with His preciousness and paid for by Him, made His
own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body [the body of
which you are now Christ's steward]. From AmpB 1 Cor 6
***For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to
fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit
of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba!
Father!" Romans 8:14-16 English Standard
Version
***Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Galatians 4:6-8 New King James Version

[5.] Jesus' instructions are clear to we who are His

adopted slave children. As His adopted children
and slaves, He tells us to be sincerely and
wholeheartedly obedient in everything, being "well-
pleasing, not argumentative."
***Slaves, be obedient to those who are your
masters according to the flesh, with fear and
trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to
Christ; Ephesians 6:4-6 New American Standard
Bible
***Slaves, obey your human masters in
everything; don't work only while being watched, in
order to please men, but [work] wholeheartedly,
fearing the Lord. Colossians 3:21-23 Holman
Christian Standard Bible
***Slaves are to be submissive to their own
masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing,
not argumentative,
Titus 2:8-10 English Standard Version
***Romans 13:1Every person is to be in subjection to
the governing authorities For there is no authority except
from God, and those which exist are established by
God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed
the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will
receive condemnation upon themselves. . . 5 Therefore it
is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of
wrath, but also for conscience' sake. Romans NASB

[6.] HOW MUCH MORE THEN SHOULD GENUINE

CHRISTIANS, WHO WERE PURCHASED BY JESUS'
SUFFERING, BE SINCERELY AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY
OBEDIENT TO KING JESUS IN EVERYTHING, BEING
WELL-PLEASING TO HIM. IF WE ARE NOT DAILY LIVING
IN OBEDIENCE TO KING JESUS IN EVERYTHING, BEING
WELL-PLEASING TO HIM, THEN WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO
BELIEVE THAT WE ARE HIS ADOPTED SLAVE-CHILDREN,
THOSE WHO ARE GENUINELY BORN AGAIN FROM ABOVE
BY THE SPIRIT TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE AND LIVE WITH
JESUS FOREVER IN HIS KINGDOM OF TRUE LOVE.

Hebews 5:8 though He was Son, yet [He] learned

obedience by the things which He suffered; 9 and having been
perfected [when He said "It is finished" and His body died], He
became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that
continue to HEAR and OBEY<5219> Him;
<5219> uJpakou>w, — hoop-ak-oo’-o; to hear under (as a subordinate), i.e. to listen
attentively; by implication to heed or conform

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you

[supernaturally] Love one another; even as I have
[supernaturally] Loved you, so that you also [supernaturally] Love
each another. 35 By this [supernatural Love for each other] shall
all men know that you are my disciples, if you have [supernatura]
Love for each other. . . . 14:21 Whoever has My
commandments and CONTINUES TO GUARD,
FULFILL, HOLD FAST AND KEEP THEM<5083>, he it
is who Loves Me. And he who Loves Me will
be Loved by My Father, and I will Love him
and manifest Myself to him."
<5083> thre>w, — tay-reh’-o; to guard (from loss or injury, properly by
keeping the eye upon; figurative to fulfill a
command); — hold fast, keep (-er), (pre-, re-)serve, watch.

1 John 2: 3¶ And by this we know that we

have known Him, by continuing to GUARD,
FULFILL, HOLD FAST AND KEEP<5083> His
commands. 4 He who says, "I have come to
know Him," and does not continue GUARDING,
FULFILLING, HOLDING FAST AND KEEPING<5083> His
commandments, is a liar, and [Jesus] the
Truth is not in him. 5 But whoever is
GUARDING, FULFILLING, HOLDING FAST AND
KEEPING His word, truly in this one the
[supernatural] Love of God is perfected. By
this [continuous keeping of His Word] we
know that we are in Him 6 the one who says
he remains in Him should continue to walk
just as He walked.. . . . 18 . . . even now
many antichrists have risen up, from which
we know that it is the last hour. 19 They
went out from us, but they were not of us;
for if they were of us, they would have
continued with us. But [they went out] so
that it might be revealed that they were
not all of us.

***1 Jo 3:1 John 3:4-14 stated briefly:

4 Everyone who sins breaks the Law [of
God]; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But
you know that He [Jesus] appeared so that
He might take away our sins. And in Him is
no sin. 6 No one who lives in Him
[deliberately and knowingly] keeps on doing
a sin. No one who [deliberately and
knowingly] continues to do a sin has either
seen Him or known Him. 7 Little children,
let no man deceive you: he that keeps on
doing righteousness is righteous, even as
He is righteous. 8 He who [deliberately and
knowingly] continues to do a sin is of the
devil; for the devil keeps on sinning from
the beginning. For this purpose the Son of
God was manifested, that He might destroy
the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born
of God does not [deliberately and
knowingly] continue to do a sin; for His
seed remains in him: and he cannot
[deliberately and knowingly] keep on doing
a sin, because he is born of God. 10 In
this the children of God are manifest, and
the children of the devil: whoever does not
keep on doing righteousness is not of God,
neither he who is not loving his brother. .
. 14 We know that we have passed from death
to life, because we keep on unselfishly and
kindly Loving our brothers. Anyone who does
not continue to unselfishly and kindly Love
his brother remains in death. . . 24 And he
who continues to GUARD, FULFILL, HOLD FAST
AND KEEP<5083> His commandment dwells in Him,
and He in him. And by this we know that He
abides in us, by the Spirit which He gave
to us.

A genuine child of God cannot "keep on doing a sin, because he is

born of God" and God will chasten him/her out of the sin (Hebrews
12) with weakness, sickness or hardships to get him/her to stop
sinning, with the genuine repentance of godly sorrow (1 Cor
11:25-35; 1 Cor 5:3-5; 2 Cor 7; Prov 28:13 ). If she/he does not
genuinely repent of the sin in godly sorrow (Prov 28:13; 2 Cor 7),
the chastening may unusual weakness, abnormal sickness, and
may even mean the death of his/her body (1 Cor 11:25-35; 1 Cor
5:3-5) so that her/his spirit can be saved from that sin. If His
children persist in misusing their bodies, bodies purchased with
the shed blood of Christ on the cross, He might cause their bodies
to die so that they can't continue misusing them, and then take
them Home to Him

The godly in Christ who are not successfully abstaining from sex sin, in thought or deed,
obey this command because Jesus won't let them continue to sin. Those in Jesus who
try to continue on while failing to consistently abstain from sex sin, choosing not to obey
Jesus and marry, encounter Jesus' discipling and chastening, often in the form of
weakness, sickness or even the sleep of death (1 Cor 5:3-5; 11:30-32; Heb 12).
A love story and a standard for love
based on real people and places.
Hi ,
Desire wrote "For those of you who
answered my King Edward the Eight
Question -
thanks. I just wanted a taste of what you
were like.I feel he set a standard for
love, I should make so bold a sacrifice for
a true love, although I wouldn't be
a loudmouth drunk"
I wrote this Love story (based on actual
people, places and deeds) to give her
an idea of the Love that inspires me.

"A Love Story, A Standard For Love"

© by R. L. Tyler on 03/15/'98; Revised
11/15/98
anoldservant8@yahoo.com,
Jabez1Chr4@aol.com
A love story and a standard for love
based on real people and places.

A standard for love, what a thought! The

Middle Eastern King from the past who
set the Love Standard for me was an
awesome lover. He was a mature adult
looking for the woman who would be his
bride. One day when he was passing
through a poverty stricken part of one of
the neighboring kingdoms where many
of his subjects lived, he came upon an
abandoned infant girl in the dirt, still
in her birth blood, her umbilical cord not
yet cut well, and apparently the
daugthter of slaves. Many of his
subjects had chosen to live there and in
the process had become slaves. Her
dark skin color showed that she was of
the class that was lowly esteemed and
thought poorly of in that country, just
because of the color of her skin and the
customs of her people.

He could see that she was a descendant

of one of his family's very old servants
so he decided to commit himself to the
well being of this child. He commanded
his attendants to make sure that she
lived and was cared for, though the
daughter of slaves, living among slaves.
Years passed. He was pleased each
time he passed through her region and
saw
how well Oholah was growing and
developing into a remarkable woman.
He was
profoundly concerned about her though,
since she still went about naked and
bare
as was the custom of her people (like the
original Aborigines, Amazon Indians
etc.) , and was still living in slavery.

Puberty did its magic and changed a

remarkable little girl into an awesome
and
desired woman, a woman with desries.
Her developing body and the passion it
produced in her admirers became a
problem especially because she
continued to live and go about naked
and bare, again the custom of her
people. Men in her
area had the natural reaction to a naked
and bare beautiful woman and she let
her body be used by some because she
thought that was love. Oholah was used
and
they didn't love her, but it was the only
love she knew firsthand. She felt it
was better than what she had before she
had such love. From her ancestors she
had heard stories of deliverance,
promises of better things, compassion
and
cherishing. It was all far away and
unreal, like fantasy dreams.

When he knew that she was old enough

to marry, he visited her area again and
saw
her now physically ready for marriage.
Even though he was now older, he was
still moved by compassion, love, passion,
need and desire as he looked upon her
and remembered his family's promises
to her ancestor of old. Carefully,
quietly and gently he approached her
and she recognized him as the one who
had
saved her life soon after she had been
born. She had heard so much about him
that seemed so hard to believe and then
he was there approaching her. He spoke
to her gently but powerfully and
decisively and offered her the
deliverance, the
better things, the compassion and
cherishing she had heard about. She
wanted
him and all he said to be real. She was
so amazed and awestruck by it all. It
all seemed like a dream.
Using his power and influence he
removed her and her people from that
region and
its slavery. He poured out his heart to
her in solemn private and public
covenants and commitments. Oholah
was overwhelmed by it all, almost
incredulous, but accepted all he offered
and pledged herself to him in marriage.

Oholah had difficulty adjusting. It was all

so new and incredible to her.
There was so much to learn, so many
new and different ways of doing things.
She
was so overwhelmed and fearful that he
couldn't bring her to his land and palace
at that time, and had to live with and
love her in the barren and wilderness
region between the area of her birth and
his lands. Years later she became
confident enough to come to his land
and live with him in his palaces. He
showered her with gifts, feasts, trips and
a whole lot of passionate celebration
of her beauty and his desire for her.

Oholah had difficulty adjusting. It was all

so new and incredible to her.
There was so much to learn, so many
new and different ways of doing things.
She
was so overwhelmed and fearful that he
couldn't bring her to his land and palace
at that time, and had to live with and
love her in the barren and wilderness
region between the area of her birth and
his lands. Years later she became
confident enough to come to his land
and live with him in his palaces. He
showered her with gifts, feasts, trips and
a whole lot of passionate celebration
of her beauty and his desire for her.

But she didn't adjust well to all of these

new places and people. It was all so
new and different and overwhelming.
For any number of reasons Ohlah found
that
she was not satisfied and content with
her King and lover, though he was
always
attentive, often with her and showered
her with gifts and attention. It was
that same aching lack of satisfaction and
contentment that she had experienced
in puberty in her first sexual
experiences, yet she knew the King trully
loved
her and was not just using her. She
couldn't explain it but her old way-of-life
kept on pulling at her, night and day,
even though her husband warned her of
all
the suffering that lay ahead of her if she
dishonored their wedding covenants
and returned to her old ways. Tempted
to selfishness and self indulgence, with
great feelings of inadequacy, she
believed a lie instead of the truth of her
husband. Not thinking clearly nor
counting the cost, she began to have
lovers
on the side, breaking her covenants with
her husband King. Her heart took her
back to the pleasures of being naked and
bare with her erotic lovers.

While with her lovers, thinking she was

safe and set for a good time, the desire
of some of her lovers for her turned to
disgust and contempt. They deceived
her
and lured her into a trap where they
stripped and exposed her, beat her,
mocked
her and abused her as men often abuse
and mock old whores who look and act
like
they've been over used. The King knew
about this and he grieved deeply for
her unfaithfulness and for her suffering,
but he was committed to open handed
love (not holding someone against their
will) as much as he was committed to all
the covenants he had made to her, so he
let her go her way. His grieving heart
went with her.
His grief was great and he always had
some of his servants watching out for
her
so she would never lack food, clothing or
shelter, ready to intervene if she
ever called out for him and for his help to
be restored to him in their mariage
covenant. Yet she would not call out for
her husband King to take her back as
his wife, even when her users and
abusers sold her as a slave to a foreign
ruler
and she was removed from the King's
land. Pride, willfulness and deception or
whatever kept her from returning to the
abundance and comfort of married life
with her husband King. In his love for
her he often wept when alone and his
servants grieved for him. He restrained
his warriors from destroying those who
were abusing Oholah, even though they
thought she was worthy of death for her
unfaithfulness.

Deeply grieved and grieving, hurt and

hurting, lonely and in need for a wife
upon whom he could pour out his love,
desire and affection, after many years
he
finally decided that he should remarry .
He knew who he wanted to marry,
but there were great obstacles in the
way. He decided that it was time to act.
While in disguise and passing through a
region under the control of an adversary
of his, he arrived at a slave auction.
There on the block for sale was
Lelah, a fully grown woman, half
dressed and dirty, broken and scarred
by all
the abuse that she had suffered as a
slave. She reminded him so very much
of
his absent wife.

He was deeply grieved by how much she

had suffered and her wretched condition.
She had no idea that he had known her
secretly since she was born. He had
remained unknown to her, but he was
very aware of her and had even made
plans
for her well being and her future in the
event that she might want such plans
and help. He was aware of the love he
felt for her but knew that no
relationship was possible until she had a
change of heart and a desire for a
better life.
Up until that point, Lelah had expressed
little or no interest in the lifestyle
that the King's disguised attendants had
periodically described to her as a
possibility. She thought she was happy
in her lifestyle with all her friends
and family. Her way of life, the life of a
slave of a potentially dangerous and
deadly master, had been enough for her
because there had been good times and
the
bad times didn't seem that bad. To her
the offers by the King's disguised
attendants seemed like fantasies and
fairy tales.

Then her life took a turn for the worse as

she personally experienced her
master's cruelty and depravity. She
realized that her life meant little or
nothing to her master, that her suffering
or death might even be a source of
pleasure for her depraved master. Lelah
then wished that she could be delivered
from his control. She had come to the
point where she wished to be true the
"fantasy" offers she had heard from the
King's disguised attendants.
After using and abusing Lelah, her cruel
master decided he had enough of her for
the time being and she was taken out to
be sold at the slave auction (which
takes place to this very day in the same
part of the world). She was broken in
body, mind and spirit----yet she now
wished that the "fantasy" offers she had
heard were true because she now knew
how sad and unsatisfying her way of life
was and could be at its worst. She knew
there was nothing she could do to
deliver herself from her present
circumstances. As a used, abused and
discarded
female slave she believed that her life
held little hope for anything better.

When Lelah talked with her neighbors

and acquaintances, she spoke of her
wish
for the reality of those "fantasy" offers,
her desire for the lifestyle and the
King described by the disguised
attendants of the King. The King had
learned of
her change of heart. He ordered his
disguised attendants to watch out for her
and her well being until he arrived.
When he arrived and saw her there in
the
slave auction, he wept. Fighting through
the tears he decided to do what he
knew he had to do for her, what he had
to do to win her heart, what he had to do
to bring her into the safety he could offer
her.

Not wanting Lelah to be overwhelmed by

his position, title and riches, he put
aside all of his finery and dressed as his
attendants. When he made it known to
the auctioneer that he wanted to buy
her, her eyes locked on him with awe
and
bewilderment as to why such a fine
gentleman would want her. Her eyes
could
not beleive the kindness, the gentleness
and compassion she saw in his eyes
everytime their eyes met. She was
amazed at how his compassionate eyes
could
change and become so strong and
decisive when she saw him talking with
his
companions.

Lelah saw him veil the forcefulness in his

eyes when he dealt with the
auctioneer. The auctioneer mocked him
as a fool and told him he could have her
only after he punished her for all the
trouble she had been to him. The King
learned that he could buy her only after
she had been publicly stripped and
flogged repeatedly in public to teach the
other slaves a lesson. He was
horrified and gravely concerned,
knowing that the experience would kill
her or
permanently ruin her as a human being.

Lelah saw him veil the forcefulness in his

eyes when he dealt with the
auctioneer. The auctioneer mocked him
as a fool and told him he could have her
only after he punished her for all the
trouble she had been to him. The King
learned that he could buy her only after
she had been publicly stripped and
flogged repeatedly in public to teach the
other slaves a lesson. He was
horrified and gravely concerned,
knowing that the experience would kill
her or
permanently ruin her as a human being.

The King knew he could overwhelm this

auctioneer and his master and force his
will on them. The King knew the
auctioneer would never voluntarily sell
Lelah
to him if he knew he was a King and the
fantastic life he wanted to give Oholah
as only kings could do. The auctioneer
had his heart set on the sadistic
humiliation and abuse of this female
slave who had refused to be content and
satisfied with his treatment of her.

Finally, after much meditation, he

determined to remain disguised so as
not to
unduly influence Lelah, the slave girl he
wanted to buy. The disguised King
offered to let the auctioneer strip and
flog him if he would spare her and sell
her to him without the planned public
torture the auctioneer had planned for
her. He knew the auctioneer would not
pass up such an opportunity to practice
his sadism and maliciousness. It was
more important to the King that Lelah
come
to love him not because of his wealth
and position, but because of his love and
devotion for her.

When she learned what was about to

happen, the slave woman's eyes and
mouth were
open wide in amazement, wonder and
longing to be delivered and loved by this
apparently benevolent master. The
King's attendants, who were in the crowd
in
disguise, were equally amazed and
bewildered. They were not aware of the
powerful and overwhelming forces the
King had all around them, ready to
intervene at the King's signal.
The slave girl knew by the disguised
King's clothing that the custom of his
people was that if he bought a slave girl
capable of child bearing, he would
have to treat her either as a wife (public
covenant) or a concubine (private
covenant) with all the legal
responsibilities and rights of such a
position.
She could barely believe it was
happening to her but she wanted it so
badly, to
finally belong, be loved, be safe and
have a home.

All the King had to do was say the word

and he could have destroyed the
auctioneer and his master, and had
Lelah. He didn't, but proceeded as
quietly
as the lamb to the slaughter. The
auctioneer mocked him but found the
thought of
publicly humiliating and abusing,
stripping and flogging, this fine
gentleman
much more entertaining than abusing
the used and insignificant slave girl. If
the auctioneer and her former abusive
master fully knew what the King would
do
to them years later, they never would
have done so wickedly.

So he let them strip him, tie him down

and flog him so badly that the skin on
his back and buttocks was torn and
bleeding, so badly that a weaker man
would
have not recovered and would have died.
Finally with a sneer, and only because
he feared possible reprisal by the friends
of the man and the mocking of his
other customers if he didn't keep his
word, the auctioneer released the slave
girl to him and cut him loose. His
attendants came out of the crowd and
cared
for him and the girl. His blood was all
over their hands as they held him and
helped him. In the rush, with their hands
still bloody from attending the King,
they went to Lelah to get her to safety
and cover her, unwittingly getting her
and her coverings all bloody with the
King's blood. Years later she still
cherished those rags, covered with the
blood of her Lover, a memorial of his
Love for her.

The King was so badly wounded that it

became obvious that he was in the
hands of
death, laying bruised and beaten at
Death's dark and dreaded door. Death
was so
much upon him they actually began to
prepare for his burial, anointing him with
burial oils. They knew that Death had
him and that only a mighty miracle could
save him and return him to them. For
days they waited in deep grief as he lay
there in death's cold grip, praying and
weeping over their loss of their beloved
king.

All hope had been lost and they had

resigned themselves to the worst, when
some
of his servants came to check on him
only to find his death bed empty and his
body nowhere to be found. Their grief
was compounded and their wailing could
be
heard all through their houses, because
they believed they had been denied the
privilege of giving their beloved King the
royal funeral they felt would honor
him the most.
As some of his loyal subjects went out
into the King's garden to grieve together
and seek comfort in their loss, they came
upon one they thought to be the
gardener because their eyes were so full
of tears they couldn't see clearly.
When he spoke to them their mouths
opened wide in wonder and they quickly
wiped
their eyes in amazement because they
knew that voice to be the voice of their
beloved King. With shouts of joy,
jumping, laughing, and dancing for joy
they
surrounded him while others ran to tell
Lelah and those who didn't know THAT
HE
WHO WAS LOST WAS FOUND --- THAT
HE WHO WAS DEAD WAS NOW ALIVE ---
THAT LIGHT
HAD OVERCOME THE DARKNESS --- THAT
LOVE WAS ONCE AGAIN ALIVE IN THE
KINGDOM.
It took a while before he felt ready to
come out of his private and secluded
recovery to be with the now finely
dressed, oiled and beautiful Lelah who
had
been the auctioneer's slave girl. While
he was recovering, the attendants told
her all about their master and his
personality, that he was royalty and
would be
recognized as a far greater ruler some
day. Using all that her king provided,
she prepared to meet him by bathing
until her skin was squeekly clean and
laying
for hours in warm perfumed oils, soaking
her skin and hair into awesome
loveliness, softness and beauty-----all the
time wondering what would become of
her and would her new master-husband
be as good to her as the attendants had
told her.

The same attendants were keeping the

King informed on how Lelah was doing,
how
her response to his compassionate love
worked in her to be thankful, kind,
humble, gentle, thoughtful, unselfish and
generous with all she met. Lelah
wasn't perfect and she knew it, but his
love for her worked a powerful desire to
do good and love others and she
became a more loving person on a daily
basis.
He came to love her profoundly from the
depth of his heart while he recovered
and learned of her gracious loveliness,
seeing her from a distance unknown to
her.

When they finally came together, they

were so finely dressed and looking so
wonderful that it could have been a
wedding, but he wanted them to have
their
public wedding when the two of them
returned to his land. So they stayed in
Tirzah in the mountains. He covenanted
his love to her and covenanted his care
for her and she accepted his covenants
and agreed to be his wife. Their
relationship was a lovefeast, a classic
honeymoon, and all made merry and
celebrated the joy and beauty of true
love between a man and his woman.

When they finally came together, they

were so finely dressed and looking so
wonderful that it could have been a
wedding, but he wanted them to have
their
public wedding when the two of them
returned to his land. So they stayed in
Tirzah in the mountains. He covenanted
his love to her and covenanted his care
for her and she accepted his covenants
and agreed to be his wife. Their
relationship was a lovefeast, a classic
honeymoon, and all made merry and
celebrated the joy and beauty of true
love between a man and his woman.

She let him shower her with his love,

affection and attention to the point
that in the depth of her heart she knew
that her man loved her, loved her
enough
to suffer terribly for her, that she was
safe with him, and she came to rest in
and rejoice in their love. Everytime
Lelah saw or felt the horrible scars on
his back, she was reminded of how
much he loved her and how precious her
love
was to him. The more love he poured
on her the more she poured back on him,
seeking as many ways as possible to
show her love and joy in him. Unselfish
and compassionate cherishing became
the norm for their behavior and all those
around them rejoiced and celebrated
the beauty and joy of their love and
loving. They spent years there in the
province of Tirzah, happy years filled
with wonderful memories.

In the meantime, his first wife, Ohola,

had been reduced to having to fight pigs
in pig pens for their food just to survive,
and had been abondoned by her false
friends and lovers. She came to
sincerely regret her past behaviour, and
to
appreciate the husband she had lost. The
King's disguised attendants saw this
change and offered to help her return to
the King's kingdom where she would be
safer and live better. Oholah had little
hope of being reconciled to her
husband, the King, but she accepted
their offer to help her return to a village
in his land. She found less than a
friendly welcome. Many of her neighbors
didn't want her to return and told her she
had no right to return or be there.
Many refused to believe that she was
Oholah the queen. Many felt she had no
right to be queen again and wanted
others to be queens in her place. Some
even
blamed her for the terrible beating and
scars their King received obtaining
Lelah's deliverance, saying that he would
not have married Lelah if Oholah had
been a good wife. The King remained
silent but aware during all of this, still
celebrating his marriage with Lelah
inTirzah.

Oholah was content just to be back in his

kingdom. The King's attendants,
disguised as benefactors, expressed
their support of her cause and were
caring
for her body and soul, helping her in the
recovery that she now desperately
wanted. In fact she daily expressed her
remorse and regret at having been so
foolish and so unfaithful to her husband
King, often inquiring if it were
possible he would still be willing to at
least keep his covenants and
commitments he had made to her even
if he couldn't bring himself to be
husband
to her again. Most of the time she didn't
even have hope that she and the King
would be reconciled, though she was
content and happy to be back in his land.

Bathed in oils, fragrances and perfumes

and clothed in finery her former beauty
began to appear again, but even more
impressive was her change of heart. Her
ordeal had taught her gratitude for
kindness and love, taught her humility
and
compassion for the needy, and she had
learned the wonderful value of human
cherishing when it is unselfish and
compassionate. She was now lovely
inside
and out, and she had become precious
to those who attended to her needs.

While the King and Lelah were in Tirzah,

pouring out their hearts to each other,
they learned much of each other's past
and what had brought them together,
how
their past seemed to have prepared
them for each other. Lelah learned
about
Oholah and in her love for him she came
to share his grief and sense of loss of
Oholah. Her heart was set to love
whoever he loved, to do good to all to
whom
he did good, to care for all those dear to
him. Their hearts and love had
become one heart and one love, and all
who loved them rejoiced in their love.
Her union with him moved her to care
deeply about and seek the good of
Oholah,
even though she knew her husband was
such a man of integrity that he would
believe he was still committed to keep
his covenants with Oholah even though
he
loved her, Lelah, so much and so dearly.
The King shared his joy with Lelah
that Oholah had returned, that she was
doing well and that she was a whole new
person, a loving and gracious person.
Lelah loved him so much that she could
not help but share his joy. She sought
ways that she could help her "sister"
Oholah be fully restored. Oholah was
marvelously cared for and helped in her
recovery, by the Love of the King, Lelah
and their servants.

Years had passed in Tirzah for the King

and Lelah, but now it was time to return
to his palace and throne. There was a
triumphal entry and a wedding feast that
lasted for days. Their joy and love made
Camelot seem like a preschool party.
After all had settled down to daily living,
Lelah daily supervised the care for
Oholah in the neighboring town, and
often attended Oholah herself, but in
disguise so that Oholah would not know
that she was the King's new wife. Lelah
served Oholah with love and devotion,
washing her feet and hair while they
talked on and on, becoming dear friends.
One day while bathing together Oholah
saw the old scars on Lelah's back and
legs. Oholah was amazed to see them
and
even more amazed to learn of what the
kind gentleman had done to rescue her.
She begged to meet him and Lelah said
she would meet him soon. They held
each
other and wept over their past and
rejoiced in their deliverances. Oholah
even
anointed Lelah's wounds with oil and
massaged them with loving tenderness.
Lelah
massaged Oholah's old wounds and
bruises and saw to it that Oholah had the
best
of everything to be fully recovered and
restored.

In their times together, Oholah would

often share her memories of her
husband
King and her regret for her foolish abuse
of his love for her. Lelah rejoiced
in hearing Oholah's version of her
memories of her husband King, and she
rejoiced that his word was confirmed by
Oholah. Oholah became even more
and
lovely and gracious in the care of Lelah
and the attendants, thriving on and in
their obvious and devoted love for her.
The souls of Oholah and Lelah became
knit together, closer than sisters. They
would often be seen walking, talking,
laughing and singing together, as good
girl friends do.

Not all of this parable of the Love King

has come to pass, because allegorically
He is still in Tirzah with Lelah, but we can
count on Him to make the rest come
to pass just as He has in the past,
because He is able. Older than time,
born
and revealed in Bethlehem, tortured to
death on Golgotha, alive today-----this
King of Love will fulfill all of His good
Word and reign in Jerusalem with both
Lelah and Oholah at His side forever.
Please let Him be your King , let Him
love you, and be there with Him forever.
His Name is Jesus, God's anointed and
chosen King, from Bethlehem and
Nazareth.

Not all of this parable of the Love King

has come to pass, because allegorically
He is still in Tirzah with Lelah, but we can
count on Him to make the rest come
to pass just as He has in the past,
because He is able. Older than time,
born
and revealed in Bethlehem, tortured to
death on Golgotha, alive today-----this
King of Love will fulfill all of His good
Word and reign in Jerusalem with both
Lelah and Oholah at His side forever.
Please let Him be your King , let Him
love you, and be there with Him forever.
His Name is Jesus, God's anointed and
chosen King, from Bethlehem and
Nazareth.

In this parable/allegory from Ezekiel 16,

Ezek 23, Hosea, the Song of Solomon
and the New Testament. the King is
Jesus and the Love He offered Oholah
and
Lelah is the same Love and Loving He
offers you today if you will only receive
Jesus as your Deliverer from sin and give
yourself entirely to Him recognizing
Him as your Master and King. The
poverty stricken land where he found
Oholah
is Egypt's Goshen. Oholah is Israel, their
marriage at Mt. Sinai, the barren
wilderness the Sinai wilderness, His land
the land of Canaan. Oholah's lovers
were the people and gods of Canaan and
Egypt, Lelah the slave girl is the Church
- the body of Christ.

The King's flogging represented the

crucifixion where indeed His body, not
His
Spirit, did die to be risen an eternal flesh-
and-
bone body. The auctioneer was the
Roman & Jewish leaders controlled by
Satan.
Tirzah, the King's place in the mountains
- the place of Christ's Church in the
world today seated with Him in the
heights (Ephes. 1). Oholah's return to
the
land was the rebirth of Israel as a nation.
The triumphal return of the King
and His Lelah - the rapture of the
believers. The reunion of Oholah with the
King and Lelah - His second coming - His
return to earth to rule the earth from
Jerusalem for 1000 years in fulfillment of
all of his promises to David and
Israel.

An old servant of the King,

Tyler

HIS LOVE FOR ME***************

At twelve years of age I believed Jesus was real, but I sure

didn't think that
He Loved me, I was committing felonies as a juvenile and
I was actively
considering a suicidal life style or suicide itself because I
didn't care to live
in a world that only had selfish and conditional "love". I
didn't believe that any human really LOVED any other
human. The proof that persuaded me that God not only
could but actually did Love me was that Christ died for
me. I could argue with most other points, but I couldn't
deny that Jesus died. Even unbelievers believed Jesus
lived and died. To me that was a historical fact that few
disputed. So when I saw that I had solid historical
evidence that Jesus died, I was ready to seriously
consider
that just maybe He Loved me enough to really die for
me.

I respected and believed the Bible, so

when she showed me book after book,
chapter after chapter, verse after verse
that plainly stated that the reason
Jesus died (that solid historical fact), was
because God so Loved me and the
world and because He wanted to Love
me as Father, as Shepherd, as King, as
Deliverer in a very intimate and personal
relationship, - - - - my eyes began
to see, my mind to understand my heart
wanted that Love. When she showed me
why
He let them kill Him, that it was His
choice, that He died to take my place in
the court of Divine Justice------- well she
had me. I couldn't deny that he
died, and she persuaded that God so
Loved me that He sent His only begotten
Son
to die in my place so that I could be His
child ------- Eureka! Yahoo! I had
discovered the Love I was looking for, a
Love that I could live for, a Love to
give my life to and for. I already had
believed that He rose from the dead
and was coming back, but now I could
have a Father-son relationship with the
GOD who was Love.

I believed her, accepted Him and

got all excited. I told her that I had
to check all of this out with the youth
sponsor, Chuck Hill, to make sure that
all that she told me was right on. After
Chuck confirmed everything the woman
had told me, I thanked him and went up
the other hill side to pray my prayer of
thanks, believing, receiving and trusting
Jesus as my God, my King and Saviour.
I was such a babe I didn't realize that I
had been born again as soon as I
talked to Chuck, because I believed Jesus
and had faith in Jesus alone to bring
me into right relationship with God, as
soon a Chuck confirmed it all. I
believed, received Him and was born
again even before I made my big formal
acceptance prayer.

Talk about a radical life change in a

few weeks! Within a month of my
8th grade year (Oct. or Nov.) my grades
rose from D+ to an average of "B".
Instead of being the expelled disrupter of
my youth group, I became a leader in
my church youth group, my school's
Bible club (the girls had a hard time
believing I had changed). Instead of
letting my twisted and dysfunctional
family pull me down with them, I
determined to do what I could do for my
messed up family, especially my mom
and dad.
HIS GREAT LOVE FOR
YOU*********************

Do you know exactly where you stand

with the God and Creator of the
universe?
Have you asked Him to be your Father in
the Heavens? Have you believed/
trusted/relied/
depended on the Lord/King Jesus Christ
---the God anointed Saviour King of
Israel ----to save you from your faults,
failures and mistakes?
Salvation from personal
faults/failures/mistakes belongs to the
poor in spirit.
Matt. 5:3 says, "Blessed are the poor in
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven." If you recognize that you are
spiritually destitute---totally incapable
of deserving or earning salvation from
your errors in any way, you are poor in
spirit-- you are humble. The poor in
spirit, the humble, understand that they
are sinners, totally impotent to please or
to serve God.

To acknowledge that you are a sinner

unable to save yourself is humility.
Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). Isaiah said,
"When You make His soul an offering for
sin, He shall see [His] seed. He shall
prolong [His] days and the pleasure of
the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He
shall see the distressing travail of His
soul, and be satisfied. By His
knowledge My righteous Servant shall
justify many, for He shall bear their
iniquities."

Poverty of spirit (humility) is interwoven

in the act of repentance, the
life-altering change of mind about you,
your sin and God. When you repent
(change your mind), you see yourself as
you really are and you change your mind
in respect to your relationship to God the
Father and to His Son, the Lord Jesus
Christ. The act of repentance brings you
to see your sin as ugly as it is, as
God sees it, and you come to a point
where you want to be free from it.
Of course, freedom from sin comes
only by believing/trusting/ relying on
the Lord Jesus Christ. The one who is
regularly committing sin is the slave of
sin. However, if the Son shall set you
free from regularly committing sin, you
shall be free indeed (John 8:334,36)

The poor in spirit see their

impotence to free themselves from
sin/failures/faults/errors. They see that
freedom is possible only through
Christ's death for us as our substitute.
They recognize that
salvation/deliverance comes by God's act
of undeserved and unmeritted kindness
and mercy alone. They choose to
believe God and His Word about
themselves and
their relationship with Him.

One cannot speak of the

Crucifixion apart from the
Resurrection. It is the resurrection that
gives us newness of life. Christ's
resurrection testifies to two vital truths.
One, it shows that the
righteousness, justice and holiness of
God was propitiated, or satisfied, with
the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ.
Jesus became the bearer of our sins.
Isaiah's word is "But he was
wounded/pierced for our transgressions,
bruised/crushed for our iniquities; The
chastisement for our peace was upon
Him,
and by His stripes (from the cutting
whips) we are healed." In Romans 4:25
we
read, "[He] who was delivered up
because of our transgressions, and was
raised
[from the dead] because of our
justification." "Raised because of our
justification" means that because Jesus'
payment (the death of His body) for our
sins was adequate to satisfy the
demands of justice and a Holy God, God
could
then declare us righteous, justified and
made acceptable in His sight. Jesus
was raised from death because His death
for us satisfied the righteousness of
our Holy God.

His resurrection shows us that Jesus

Christ conquered death. Death had
a holdover man because of his
sin/error/failures/ faults. However, once
the
death penalty of sin was paid for by the
death of Christ's body, death no longer
had any holding power. "The sting of
death is sin, and the power of sin is the
law" (1 Corinth. 15:56). Jesus paid the
price of redemption, redeeming us from
the curse of the Law, having become a
curse for us ---for cursed was everyone
who was hung on a tree/stake (Deut.
21:23; Gala. 3:13).

His death took away the power of

sin. Jesus also took the stinger out of
death by paying for our sin so that we
need have no fear of what awaits us in
and after death. Because our sin debt is
paid for in full by Christ, death has
no power over us.

Dear reader, have you come to the

end of yourself? Have you seen your
total impotence, your total
unworthiness? Have you seen your
nothingness apart
from God? And have you seen Jesus,
God the Son who took upon Himself flesh
and
blood that He might die for you and for
all people? Have you decided that you
want His Way and Will in and for your life
instead of your own will and way?

Do you believe that? Do you

believe He died in your place? Do you
believe that He was made sin for you, so
that you, a helpless and hopeless enemy
of God, might have His righteousness
and His life? Have you repented---turned
away from self-will to believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ----the God anointed
Saviour King of Israel? Out loud with
your mouth agree with God about the
God
anointed Saviour King of Israel, and you
will be saved, "for with the heart man
believes, resulting in righteousness, and
with the mouth he confesses [Jesus],
resulting in salvation." Romans 10:10-13.
Joel 2: 32 And it shall be, whoever shall
call on the name of the LORD shall be
saved; for salvation shall be in Mount
Zion and in Jerusalem, as the LORD has
said, and in the remnant whom the LORD
shall call.
Ps 119:6 Then I shall not be ashamed,
when I have respect to all Your
commandments.
Ps 119:80 Let my heart be sound in Your
statutes, so that I may not be ashamed.
Ps 119:116 Uphold me according to Your
word, that I may live; and let me not be
ashamed of my hope.

A PRAYER FOR YOUR TODAY

God and Creator of the universe, I ask
You to make me in Jesus to be Your child,
and be my Father in Heaven. I thank You
for revealing Yourself in Jesus, born of
a virgin and Your Spirit, and crucified on
a cross for me. I thank You that
Jesus rose His body from death to show
me how He will raise my body from
death
some day. I praise You that someday
Jesus will return in His transformed body
to set up His Kingdom on earth.

With my mouth out loud I do declare that

I believe and trust in King Jesus, Your
anointed Son, to save me from my faults
and sins. I rely and depend on Your
King Jesus to save me from all my
failures and mistakes. I admit and
recognize that
I am spiritually deaf, blind and dead to
You apart from Jesus. I agree with You
that I am totally incapable of deserving
or earning salvation from all my errors
and
faults in any way. I admit that I am a
sinner, on my own and by myself I am
totally unable to please or to
serve You, God. I agree with You that
apart from Jesus my sins and I are
rejected, filthy, rotten, and ugly.

I praise and thank You that Jesus took

my sin and failures in His body and died
in my place for me to justify me and set
me free in You. I accept the fact that by
His awful suffering He bought and paid
for me and I am no longer my own. I
accept and confess Jesus as Lord, King
and Master of all that I am and all that I
do. Please change my mind
about my sin and give me Your mind
about my sin and You. I agree with you
that
my sin had left me spiritually deaf, blind
and dead. I recognize and accept that
salvation, deliverance and freedom from
sin comes by Your undeserved
andunmerited kindness and mercy alone.
I thank and praise You that Your holy
justice is satisfied with Jesus’ sacrifice
and death for me, when he took my
sins on His dying body.

I accept the fact, that He was bruised,

beaten, whipped, spat upon,
disrespected, abused and tortured to
death because of my sin, and for my
sins.
I am so sorry that He had to suffer so
muchbecause of the wickedness of my
sins,
but I am so very thankful that You now
see me in Jesus as righteous, justified
and made acceptable to You to be Yours
forever.

I praise You and thank You that in raising

His body from death, Jesus conquered
death forever. I praise and thank You
that now my soul and spirit are free
forever from death, and that Jesus will
someday save my body from death and
transform it to serve Him. Thanks for
saving me from the fear of death. I ask
and trust You to work and will Your Life
in me to do Your will. I ask and trust
You to equip me with all I need for You to
do Your will in me. I ask and trust
You toproduce in me through Jesus all
that is pleasing to You.
In Jesus Name, Amen

Most of the preceeding Good News

presentation is a paraphrase of K.
Arthur's
"Lord Heal My Hurts" K. Arthur may
neither subscribe to, nor endorse my
files
described below, but the Lord uses her
teaching mightily in the mending,
healing
and restoring of broken lives, and in the
nurturing of believers. For more
helpful information to help you with your
decision and walk in Christ, write K.
Arthur at
Precept Ministries
P.O. Box 182218
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37422
(423) 892-6814
Other resources for your walk in Christ:
http://www.emmaus.edu/
http://www.insight.org
http://www.freedominchrist.com

--
Ec 9:9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you
love all the days of your fleetingly
finite life, which He hath given you under
the sun, all the days of your finite
mortality; for that is your portion in life,
and in your labour wherein you are
labouring under the sun.
And Jesus said:
Joh 6:37 All that the Father gives me
shall come to me, and him that comes to
me
I will not at all cast out. . . . 10:10 . . . I
am come that they might have
life, and might have it abundantly.