Flee Into Another by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2016, all rights reserved. Chapter 1 Jesus said, “But when they persecute you in this city, flee into another..." (Matt 10:23) But just because something didn’t go very well in your present city, is that sufficient persecution to flee into another? I think we have to ask the Lord whether the persecution is sufficient for fleeing into another. But if the persecution in the present city is enough to flee into another, then ask the Lord also which city to flee into. The Apostle Paul had occasion to flee into another-- "In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a band of soldiers, wanting to arrest me, And in a basket through a window I was let down by the wall, and escaped his hands." (2 Cor 11:32,33) It's a good thing that basket was strong enough to support a man. Paul did excellent work for the Lord, and wrote more than half the number of books in the New Testament. Not only did Paul claim to be an Apostle, but he did the works of an Apostle. Truly the signs of an apostle were performed among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. (2 Cor 12:12) Of course, no one makes themself an Apostle. You're an Apostle if the Lord chooses you to be an Apostle. Paul went through some difficult things. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more, in labors more abundant, in strokes of the whip beyond measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews I received thirty nine stripes, five different times. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I've been in the sea, 26 In journeys often, in dangers of waters, in dangers of robbers, in dangers by my own countrymen, in dangers by the heathen, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers, 27 In weariness and pain, in staying awake often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside the things that are outside, that which comes on me daily, the care of all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I don't burn? (from 2 Cor chapt 11) How many of us have bobbed up and down in the ocean for a night and a day? (vs 25) Jesus said, “But when they persecute you in this city, flee into another..." (Matt 10:23) This word "flee" does imply a certain amount of haste. If it's time to flee into another, let's not dally. Someone might say, "But I have so much stuff." In that case, how about donating some stuff to Goodwill, or Salvation Army, or a local church? And you'll be putting Luke 6:38 to work, which says-- "Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measuring tool that you measure out with, it shall be measured back to you." At the same time, you'll also be laying up treasure for yourself in heaven, like Jesus said in Matt 6:19,20. Jesus warned us against getting too attached to this world's goods, but the Bible does say, "...the substance of a diligent man is precious." (Prov 12:27) A short distance from where I live, there's one of those collection bins for Goodwill. I've used it a time or two. In the town you're departing from, it might be possible to buy an out-of-town newspaper for your destination city. Or, it might be available at the public library. I used to do that in my working career for jobs. At a certain time in the S.F. Bay area, it seemed that the job situation was rather slow. I found 19 technology jobs that I could apply for in the Sunday newspaper. But at the public library, I found 59 jobs I could apply for in the Chicago newspaper. I said, "I'd better get myself to Chicago." "Happy is the man that always fears, but he that hardens his heart shall fall into mischief." (Prov 28:14) I loaded up the car and drove to Chicago. And found work soon after arrival (and a place to live). You get up early and drive, and then as it gets toward sundown, you get a motel room. Generally, you don't need a reservation if you arrive before 6 p.m. Jesus said, "Seek and you'll find."-- 9 And I say to you, "Ask, and it shall be given to you, seek, and you'll find, knock, and it shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone that asks receives, and he that seeks finds, and to him that knocks it shall be opened. 11 If a son asks bread from any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he instead of a fish give him a snake? 12 Or if he shall ask for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" (from Luke chapt 11) You can look for ads for places to live in the destination city. Some of the research could be done on the Internet. If you don't have Internet service at home, you can probably use the Internet at the Public Library, and the librarians can be very helpful. But a thing that I do is to apply a method I learned from Kenneth E. Hagin in his little book, "How God Taught Me About Prosperity." The Lord gave Hagin a plan. 1) Claim whatever it is you want or need. 2) Say, "Satan take your hands off my finances," (but I say "Off my finances and everything that pertains to me." 3) Say, "Go ministering spirits to cause the money to come." (Or whatever it is that you need.) That little book is reasonably priced at the Internet website, Rhema.org So these days, I claim the good place to live that the Lord has for me, and I say, "Satan, take your hands off everything that pertains to me," and I send the ministering spirits (the angels) to get it for me. When the Lord gave Hagin that plan, Hagin saw that he could give his angels something to do. Unfortunately, there are lots of Christians that don't know that. If you have a car, you can load up the car and drive off. And there's also such a thing as a U-Haul trailer available for rent. You return the trailer to U-Haul at the destination city. After my discharge from the U.S. Army, I and my wife drove from Texas to my next job in Colorado in a U-Haul truck, towing behind it our compact car. If you don't have a car, you might rent one. Inquire as to whether the rental agency allows renting the car in one city, and then returning the car at the destination city. Seems like car rental agencies prefer that you have a credit card. Or, there are the Amtrak passenger trains. But Amtrak doesn't go to as many cities as Greyhound Bus. Amtrak's website is Amtrak.com Their toll-free phone number is 1 (800) USA RAIL. For the first day or two in the new city, you might stay at a motel. One of the cheapest motel chains is Motel 6. Their toll-free number is 1 (800) 4 MOTEL 6. I usually carry in my baggage a directory of their motels, available at a Motel 6. If you go by Amtrak coach, you can take two carry-on bags. They also have sleeper cars, but it's significantly more expensive. If you look at the Amtrak schedules, they use a little suitcase icon on the schedule to indicate that that particular station handles checked baggage. If you're making a simple trip from one of those stations to another of those stations, you can take for free an additional two pieces of luggage as checked bags, and up to two more checked bags for an additional $20.00 each. But usually, if part of your Amtrak trip is by bus, then no checked baggage, just carry-ons. In that case, what I've done is to ship some things in cardboard boxes by United Parcel Service (UPS). The UPS phone number is (800) PICK UPS. To talk with a real person, press zero, and then zero again. And UPS has a website where you can use the tracking number that you got when you shipped the package to see where the package currently is. If you want to ship some UPS packages to another city where you don't yet have an address, in various cities, UPS has "hubs". If your destination city has a UPS hub, you can ship your packages to yourself at that address, marked "Hold For Pick Up." They'll hold the packages for five days. But if no UPS hub, you could ship the package to a UPS store in that city and pay the UPS store a fee. At one UPS store that I've used, they give you a discount if you're a member of AARP, an organization for Senior Citizens. As I was returning home from the supermarket, a man with a familiar face got on the bus. I asked him whether he had lived at a certain hotel. He had, and then he recognized me as having been a neighbor there. I had lost track of him. Seems like someone told me he had moved to Arizona. He said, “No, I went to Reno for a while.” I asked him where he had stayed in Reno, and he gave me the name of a motel there. Don’t know whether I’ll ever use that information, but it’s conceivable that I might. But it's probably better for Christians to stay away from cities where the main industry is gambling, and casinos, and nightclubs. Not long ago, I tried San Diego, CA, a city that I had lived in maybe 25 years ago. But the prices in San Diego have gone through the roof, so I was only there for a week. I was living at one place in Western Texas, but it really was too expensive, and I was paying by the week, so they added a city tax that would go away after paying four weeks of rent. Even without the city tax, the rent was unsustainable. In addition, at that place, they cheated you on the heat. It was understood that when you pay your rent, the heat is included. The heat was steam heat, but they wouldn’t keep it on as much as was needed. So I got out of there. When looking for a place to live in the new city, a man that I met found a place to live by talking to a Realtor. But you can check the yellow pages, the local newspapers, and don't forget the free newspapers like Thrifty Nickel, Penny Saver, American Classified. If you believe the Lord wants you to flee into another, and you have a house, you can put the house into the hands of a Realtor for selling, or a property management company for renting it out. Chapter 2 ___Psalm 19 1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork. 2 Day to day yields speech, and night to night shows knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his room, and rejoices like a strong man to run a race. 6 His going out is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit to the ends of it, and there is nothing hidden from the heat of it. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul, the testimony of the Lord is sure, making the simple wise. 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart, the commandment of the Lord is pure, illuminating the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever, the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous completely. 10 They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Also your servant is warned by them, and there is great reward by keeping them. 12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. 13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins, don't let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. ___James chapter 1 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings. 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations, 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away. 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man, 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God. 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror, 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ___James chapter 2 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also, 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool," 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats? 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called? 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well, 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law. 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food, 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that? 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ___James chapter 3 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies. 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants. 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind, 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be. 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace. ___James chapter 4 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask. 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?" 6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up. 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else? 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit," 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that." 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin. ___James chapter 5 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter. 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near. 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door. 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation. 13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven. 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good. 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him, 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.