Читать книгу A Hero's Heart - Joseph David Hightower - Страница 17

“I was a great fisherman many years ago, the fish, they seemed to speak to me, telling their hiding spots. I could take anyone out at any time, to any spot and they would be able to fill their nets with a bountiful harvest from the sea. All of that ended after one tragic accident. You see it was early in the morning and the sky was a bright red color, I should have sensed the danger, but these young fishermen were so eager to prove themselves that I gave little thought to the warning blaring loudly across the sky. I took those two young men out to a distant spot in the sea where they would be able to catch a great many fish. Than out of nowhere a mighty storm blew in. The waves were higher than my boat and the current caused us to drift dangerously close to the rocky outcroppings that border the smaller islands along the coast. A rouge wave swept those two young men over the edge and I could not rescue them. Because of my carelessness two very bright, energetic boys lost their lives that day.

I could not forgive myself and it seemed that the fish could not forgive me either. They became silent and I became a useless old man. My only friend was the bottles of sake that I kept close at hand. If I was awake, I was drunk, otherwise I was passed out drunk. One morning, after sleeping off yet another night of heavy drinking, the boys’ brothers showed up and beat me almost to death. I thought for a time that I was dead, but later came to realize that if God intends a purpose for you, then it does not matter the choices that others make, God will do with you what He wants to and it is only up to you to obey Him.

After that beating I lay for several days going in and out of consciousness. When suddenly a bright light seemed to completely consume me. A peace that passed all comprehension invaded my spirit and I was left standing in awe of the splendor that was in front of me. I felt no fear, no dread, no pain, and most of all, no condemnation! The only thing that I could describe the feeling of was an unending all-consuming love. I was then handed a large book that I could not understand the words in and a pair of pants that I was told to put on. I put the pants on and stared at the book, unsure what to do with it.

This happened about seven years ago, and it has just been me, my pants, and this book ever since. That is until you showed up. In my dreams, my master, the Father, teaches me what the writing in my book means. I than try and share it with anyone that is willing to listen. Sometimes they listen, but most of the time I end of getting thrown out of places because people would rather continue with their own way of living instead of taking a moment and allowing the Father to change them from the inside out like He did for me. That my young friend, is my way.” Ojiisan finished.

“Boy, you sure can talk!” exclaimed Heru. Heru pointed to the book that Ojiisan was holding, “Is that the book you were speaking of? What is it called?”

“My Father called it His Word”, Ojiisan replied, “The only problem that I have, is that the only time I seem to be able to talk with Him, is when I am dreaming.”

Upon hearing this Heru came to a sudden stop causing Ojiisan to flip over his head and to once again face plant into the ground. “Sorry about that old man” Heru said as he reached down and helped Ojiisan to his feet and to wipe the dust from his face and tunic, “Please, can you tell can you me the name of the Father that you keep speaking of?” “Has He ever given you a name by which to call Him?” Heru asked in a desperate voice.

Ojiisan bowed his head and wiped a tear from his face, the last time he had spoken his Father’s name had been about two months ago, when he had tried to share the news with some people and had been beaten for it. “Yes, His name is Yeshua” he whispered barely loud enough for Heru to hear him.

Heru moved so fast that Ojiisan had no time to react before he was being lifted off the ground and was being swung around in the air like a rag doll in a child’s hand. Ojiisan, not seeing the smile that lit Heru’s face cried out in both fear and in pain. Heru quickly put him down and grabbed his hands, “Thank you, Ojiisan! Thank you so much!” “You see this means that I am not losing my mind! I too speak with Yeshua in my dreams, it is next to this beautiful waterfall and cabin.” “That means that your Father is also my Father, we are brothers!” Heru smiled down at Ojiisan and then quickly embraced him as was custom of family members to embrace. “The only thing that I do not understand, is the many different forms that Yeshua visits me in. Does He always appear the same to you, or does He change for you as well?” Heru asked.

“Yes, He has many appearances, but in all of them, I can tell that it is He that I am speaking with just by the look in His eyes. That never changes!” replied Ojiisan. “Please, Heru, promise me one thing. If I share something with you and even if you don’t like it or agree with, promise that you will not hurt me.” Ojiisan said in a quiet tone with his head bowed like a hurt animal.

“Ojiisan, I am not sure why anyone would want to hurt you, but I give you my word, I will never purposefully cause you any harm.” Heru said in an earnest and sincere voice, making Ojiisan look him in the eye.

After their long talk, they continued the path for a little while longer, until it was almost night. Heru found a clearing and motioned for Ojiisan to gather some kindling and to start a fire while he went in search of some food for them to eat for supper. Ojiisan found some impressive looking logs that they could use to sit on and got to work starting the fire that would both cook their food and keep them warm throughout the night. Once he had finished his chores, he bowed his head and began to pray for Heru to safely catch their dinner and return quickly. Only moments after finishing his prayer, Ojiisan, looked up to see Heru returning with their dinner.

After a wonderfully peaceful meal, the two men sat back against their logs and stared up into the now night sky. Ojiisan looked over at Heru, “Are you ready for your first lesson” he asked.

“Yes, I am very eager to hear what you have to teach me from this book of yours” Heru replied.

“You must first understand that we are all created by a wonderful being called God the Father. He created everything that is, was, and will be. All life comes from Him and is within Him.”

“Yeshua once told me that I could come to the Father through the Son” Heru suddenly blurted out.

“Relax yourself, my boy! “Yes, that is very true, you reach the Father through the Son. Do not worry yourself, Heru, we will cover everything eventually! I promise! Now be quiet and listen!” Ojiisan said in a firm but gentle voice.

“He had created man in His image and breathed life into him. Many years later, man turned their backs on the Father through one act of disobedience, yet the Father refused to give up on His creation. He loved them so much that He would do anything to bridge the gap that now separated Him from those that carried His heart. Over the years and through many different people, He continued to try and reach His people. Repeatedly they continued to reject Him and His teachings. Finally, the Father decided to send His Only Son to reach those that wanted Him and wanted to be with Him for all eternity. His Son was the only way to forever bridge the gap of sin and disobedience that separated God the Father from those that He had created for His pleasure.” Ojiisan paused and took a deep breath before beginning again.

“In order for the Son to be able to bridge this gap, however, He had to become a man to understand our fleshly wants and desires, our human emotions, those that seem all too often to be able to control us. This Son, the one who was born for the salvation of us all, His earthly name is Yeshua.”

Heru’s head shot up and he just sat there in the firelight, blinking his eyes in amazement at all he had just learned. He had heard all of this when he just a young boy, worded differently, but still the same information. As with any child, most of the parent’s teachings tend to go into one ear and straight out of the other, taking little time to sink in. It amazed Heru that Yeshua even took the time to visit with him. He sat there silently, hoping that Ojiisan would soon continue with his teaching. He wanted to learn much more about this book and the many truths that it contained.

Ojiisan prayed silently to himself for several minutes before beginning again. He wanted Heru to fully grasp what he was telling him. Taking a deep breath, Ojiisan began quietly once again, “God the Father sent Yeshua to us, but instead of rejoicing and celebrating that we had our savior here on earth with us, we rejected him once again. You see Heru, Yeshua was not born looking as He does now. He was born of a virgin in a stable with the animals. A simple hay trough was his first bed, and as for clothing, well, all He had was some clothes that most people used for rags. He chose to leave everything that He had to come to a world that would offer Him nothing, not even a clean bed on the night of His birth. He was called to be the final sacrifice for all of mankind, never again would people have any need to offer up sacrifices to their ancestors hoping that they would be accepted because He was and is the only perfect sacrifice.

When he was only thirty-three years old, He began His earthly ministry. This time of teaching and healing only lasted for three years. During this time Yeshua healed the sick, raised the dead, opened blind eyes and caused the deaf to hear and the lame to walk. He also spoke much about His Father in heaven and the home that awaits us there. It was this talk of heaven and freedom from a lifetime of sin that many of the religious rulers of that day and of today had and have a problem with. Everywhere that Yeshua traveled He gave hope. The yoke of bondage, or as some may term it, demonic activity, is all under His authority. When He commends them to flee they must flee, they have no choice but to obey!” “I want this teaching to sink into your spirit, Heru, because in the days that are coming there are going to be some fierce and deadly battles that you will be facing and you need to have this truth planted deeply and firmly in your heart. Nothing, not here or in the spirit worlds is stronger than Yeshua’s power to deliver!” saying that, Ojiisan grabbed a hold of Heru’s arm and shook it with as much force as an old man could.

“I think I understand what you are trying to say friend, you needn’t rip my shoulder from its socket” Heru replied with a grin.

“I just want you to grasp the importance of this truth, Heru, it will save your life!” Ojiisan said with passion.

“Now keep your ears open, I’m about to get to the good part, the great part, the, the, the, oh just listen!!!!” he told Heru.

“The people in charge was known as Pharisees and Sadducees. These people did not like the teachings of Yeshua because He threatened their position of power. So, they arranged a way to have Him removed, or at least they thought that they were the ones controlling the series of events that happened in those last few days of Yeshua’s time here on earth as a man.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were plotting to kill Yeshua. In doing this, they were able to find one of His disciples and convinced him to betray both his master and his friend. Upon finding Yeshua in a garden, the High Priests had him arrested in the middle of the night and a secret trial took place in which they all agreed that Yeshua was a blasphemer and that He deserved to die, however, due to their religious rules and edicts, they were not allowed to condemn any one to death. So, they instead sent Yeshua to stand trial before Pontius Pilot, and even though the ruling government of Rome could find no fault with Yeshua, he had no choice but to allow the crucifixion of an innocent man. Before the crucifixion took place Yeshua was beaten with a deadly weapon known as the cat-of-nine-tails. Never had any human man lived through such a vicious beating. After that they then placed a fully built, heavy cross on His back and a crown of thorns on His head and made Him walk up the road toward the hill that He was condemned to hang on. Upon reaching the top of that hill, the Roman Soldiers laid the cross down and then Yeshua climbed onto the face of the wooden beams. The Roman Soldiers nailed spikes through Yeshua’s wrists and through His ankles, not breaking even one bone in His entire body. Once they were finished with nailing Him to the cross, they lifted it high into the air and dropped it into a pre-made hole, where Yeshua hung for several hours before finally giving up His life.

When He had finally died, several of the guards and High priests started to celebrate, however their rejoicing did not last very long, because Yeshua was only dead for three days! On the third day, He rose from the grave and presented Himself to His disciples and to His mother, after that He then went back up to Heaven where He is still seated on the right hand of the Father. He has left the Holy Spirit here to help guide us and give us strength when we need it, and in our dreams Yeshua can freely visit us and talk with us if we allow Him to enter our hearts and chose to follow after Him. To those that Yeshua calls His own, He promises to love, protect and provide for without fail for all of eternity.” Ojiisan stopped for a moment to collect his thoughts and taking a deep breath he looked over at Heru. “Do you understand what this did for you and me, Heru? It means that we are no longer held captive by the mistakes that we have made in our past.” “When Yeshua died and then rose from the grave, He forever bridged that gap between us and God the Father. If you accept Him and the sacrifice that He paid for us, you become a son of the Living God and brother to Yeshua.”

If you want this relationship, Heru, you must pray this prayer with me.”

“God, I’m a sinner and I ask that you please forgive me.

I believe that Yeshua was born of a virgin and died on the cross

and that You raised Him from the grave after three days.

Please come into my heart and change me and make me

Yours both today and forever.

I pray this is the name of the Father

and in the name of the Holy Spirit

and in the name of Yeshua. Amen.”

After they had finished praying together, they laid their heads back and stared up into the night sky. They both began to drift into a deep sleep. While Ojiisan slept soundly and without a flicker of an eyelid, Heru began to drift into a pleasant dream filled with all the images of his childhood and the times recently spent next to the refreshing pools of the waterfall. As he went further and further into the dream world, he found himself pulled back to the grassy bank of the waterfall. He looked up to find Yeshua standing over him with a beautiful smile covering his face. “I am so very proud of you Heru, you have made a wise decision this night. Your travels will take you a long way and many battles will come into your path, but never fear, I Am always with you.” Get some rest, you are to sleep here next to the waterfall tonight, I must minister to your young heart and I want you close to Me. I love you Heru and you have made my heart fill with joy at your acceptance of both Me and My Father. Close your eyes now and get some sleep.”

Never had a man experienced a more peaceful and rejuvenating sleep than the rest that Heru got on that night.