NOT GUILTY!!!!

I so enjoy the song "God will make this trial a blessing" but sometimes it's hard to believe God meant it to be a REAL trial in my life. The words "I've just come into a valley" reverberated in my mind back in January, when I was charged falsely for actions I did not do; and I found myself in a whirlwind of storms with battles raging around me as I walked through this valley. At times I didn't believe (and still don't really) that my lawyer even believed that I was telling the truth, even through the testimonies of the 4 false witnesses that testified during the actual trial which took place yesterday.

I had been given 3 choices:

1-Run away; sign an agreement that I DID what I was accused of with no assurance of protection from civil recourse (personal lawsuit) against myself in order to avoid having a criminal record, which would then cause me to give up certain rights provided by the constitution.

2-Give Up/Hide; squeeze myself under the "no contest" plea hoping that the Judge would take lenience in the case since I had no real evidence to the contrary aside from my own testimony. Even though this would not be considered admission of guilt, it WOULD be considered a guilty verdict and subject to the punishments of the court. This verdict would also give me no protection from further civil lawsuits.

3-Trust God (Proverbs 3:5,6); I was helpless.. like David with a sling and 5 stones facing a Giant with sword and shield. There was only ONE place on Goliath's body that he could be defeated, and God knew just where that place was. Expecting the worst, I submitted my course to My Father, who knows my every need... and waited.

After the accuser and his 3 conspirators (witnesses) had finished their lavish tail of woe, my attorney attempted feebly to motion for dismissal, which the Judge flat-out denied. She (my attorney) was preparing to close when I guess God must have nudged her to ask me "do you want to testify?" Up until then, she hasn't wanted me to testify because she thought I'd look too intimidating to the Judge, but I calmly replied "Yes.. I believe I can tell the truth".

After my testimony, the Judge was talking.. I came back and sat down, but my lawyer said "Stand up".. so I stood and looked at the Judge. Expecting to hear the words of my sentence, my knees became weak as the judge explained his position, then said these words "I found you NOT GUILTY" ... HALLELUJAH! PRAISE GOD!!

It was as if God had shut the Lion's Mouths, or as Psalm 63:11 "..but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped." AMEN! God doesn't lead us through valleys just to make us stronger; He does it so we can help others as they walk through that same valley; So we can be an encouragement to them, as others encouraged us.

Paul said in Hebrews 12:1 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about by so great a cloud of witnesses," I thank God for those who prayed a host of angels down around me, the court room, and the Judge yesterday. Thank You. And may God make me as much a blessing to others as they face their Goliath's in the valley.-----Ted