“Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.” “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”” “Joseph responded, “Both of Pharaoh’s dreams mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.” “Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.””
Genesis 41:15-16, 25, 39-40 NLT
God Will Use Your Struggle For Good
Joseph life was full of chaos: one broken promise; two betrayals; several burst of hatred; two abductions; more than one seduction; ten jealous brothers; one case of poor parenting; abuse; unjust imprisonment; 24 months of prison food. Mix all of that together, let it sit for13 years and what do you get? The grandest bounce back in the Bible! Jacob’s forgotten boy became the second most powerful man in the world’s most powerful country. God took the bad and made it into something good! Joseph’s path to the palace wasn’t quick or painless, but amazing.
Have you had pain in your past, betrayals, anger, or tragedies. How about poor parenting, or wrongly accused or inappropriately touched. Now for some questions – Is the God of Joseph still in control? YES! Can he do for you what he did for Joseph? YES! Can God use evil intended to harm you to actually help you become the person God intends you to be? YES!
Remember God loves you and so do I.
Friday, March 10, 2017
Monday, November 21, 2016
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit
Today I am going to talk about the Holy Spirit. I know it might seem strange to some, but in the Bible the word spirit has been interrupted as he, and she. In Latin it refers to he, in Greek neuter (either he or she), and in Hebrew, she and in Proverbs Lady a Wisdom. I like to refer to the Holy Spirit as SHE-.
Of all the gifts given to mankind by God, there is none greater than the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit has many functions, roles, and activities. She does a work in the hearts of all people everywhere. Jesus told the disciples that He would send the Spirit into the world to “convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:7-11). Everyone has a “God consciousness,” whether or not they admit it. Spirit applies the truths of God to the minds of men. Once we are saved and belong to God, the Spirt takes up residence in our hearts forever. Jesus gave the Spirit as a benefit to perform the functions toward us which He would have done if He had remained.
The Holy Spirit is not a vague, celestial shadow, nor an impersonal force. She is a person equal in every way with God the Father and God the Son. She is considered to be the third member of the Godhead. God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All the divine attributes ascribed to the Father and the Son are equally ascribed to the Holy Spirit. When a person becomes born again by believing and receiving Jesus Christ, God resides in that person through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has intellect, emotion, and will.
The primary role of the Spirit is that she bears witness of Jesus Christ, tells our hearts about the truth of Jesus, acts as a teacher, reveals God’s will and God’s truth to us. Jesus gave us His Spirit to produce God’s character in our life. We cannot do it on our own. She will build into our lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are called the fruits of the spirit. God knows it is impossible for us to produce these qualities on our own so we are told to walk in the Spirit and be filled with the Spirit. She empowers us to grow spiritually.
The Holy Spirit also convicts Christians and none Christians concerning how sinful we are, that we need forgiveness, reminds us how righteous Jesus is, that He died in our place, for our sins, and that God will eventually judge the world and those who do not know Him. The Spirit tugs on our hearts and minds, urging us to repent and turn to God for forgiveness and a new life.
Too often people think the Holy Spirit runs on the conservative track or on the charismatic track. Both of these miss the most important thing – the Spirit of God wants to have fellowship with us.
The deeper you go into understanding you have been justified by faith, the more alive you become in the Spirit. We see the Spirit’s presence in many ways: Scripture, spiritual gifts, the work of the church, and life circumstances. We know the Holy Spirit is real because the Bible says so. We know She indwells in every believer, and alone can give us the power that we need. Have you ever wondered how to receive this power for daily living? Some people say they know about God the Father, that they know God the Son even better. But they hardly know the Spirit.
Jesus told Nicodemus, that wind by its very nature is invisible and unpredictable. It will blow from the north today and from the south tomorrow or from the east or not at all. We can feel its effect and hear it whistling through the leaves, but the wind is totally free from man’s control. It exist everywhere on the earth and is continually in motion. It can be a slight breeze or a mighty rushing wind to a destructive force of tornado. Just as the wind is everywhere so is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is universal, not limited to one country, region or race of humanity. Like the wind, no one can control the work of the Spirit. As the wind blows from the heavens, so the Holy Spirit is sent from heaven.
I want to share with you my personal experience with the Holy Spirit. When I was at MD Anderson with our son, we received bad news. His cancer was very rare, there wasn't anything they could do. I called my husband, crying. He was here in Texarkana. He tried to console me but I felt so alone. I got on my knees cried out to the Holy Spirit. As I asked her to help me, the phone rang. It was Carolyn Bland. She had lost her son 6 months earlier. She said something kept telling her that I needed her. After we brought our son back to Texarkana, one day I stopped at the store to pick up some Sprite for our son as I headed to the hospital. Several people from church were at the store. Of course they all ask about our son. My eyes began to burn from fighting back my tears. If I cried my face would show I had cried all day. When I got to the car, I called on the Holy Spirit. Please don't let me cry. If I cry my son will know it. I will count to 10. Please take these tears away before I reach 10. I started counting. When I reached 8 the most peaceful feeling came over me. My need to cry was gone. I made it through the whole day without crying. I need the Holy Spirit to empower me each day. When I kneel to pray I always say come Holy Spirit: empower my prayer, see for me, hear for me, give me understanding, and put words in my mouth. You may wonder why I ask the Spirit to come. I must change and only God can change me. MY Father draws sinners to His son by means of the Holy Spirit. And all those who are drawn will in fact come to Jesus and those who come will never be turned away. (John 6: 37)
Our Father anxiously awaits to give us gifts. Are you curious about these gifts?
Riches? No . . . .only very few have that.
Beauty? No . . . .It’s only skin deep and doesn’t last forever.
Talent? No . . . .God gives us all a perfect measure according to His plan.
Possessions? No. . . .material things eventually blow away like the sand through an hourglass.
The good gift that God desires to give all His children, more than anything else, is . . . .The Holy Spirit! Not money, not talent, not skill, not ability, not success, not protection from hardship, not full-body armor against sin. The one gift that is more precious than all of that is something that only He can give! His very own Spirit! By having His Spirt: you are never alone, never need to be afraid, and empowered to do all things.
Can you think of a greater gift? To receive a fresh outpouring of the Spirit in your life, simply pray Come Holy Spirit, see for me, hear for me, understand for me. Fill me with wisdom.
Today I am going to talk about the Holy Spirit. I know it might seem strange to some, but in the Bible the word spirit has been interrupted as he, and she. In Latin it refers to he, in Greek neuter (either he or she), and in Hebrew, she and in Proverbs Lady a Wisdom. I like to refer to the Holy Spirit as SHE-.
Of all the gifts given to mankind by God, there is none greater than the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit has many functions, roles, and activities. She does a work in the hearts of all people everywhere. Jesus told the disciples that He would send the Spirit into the world to “convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:7-11). Everyone has a “God consciousness,” whether or not they admit it. Spirit applies the truths of God to the minds of men. Once we are saved and belong to God, the Spirt takes up residence in our hearts forever. Jesus gave the Spirit as a benefit to perform the functions toward us which He would have done if He had remained.
The Holy Spirit is not a vague, celestial shadow, nor an impersonal force. She is a person equal in every way with God the Father and God the Son. She is considered to be the third member of the Godhead. God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All the divine attributes ascribed to the Father and the Son are equally ascribed to the Holy Spirit. When a person becomes born again by believing and receiving Jesus Christ, God resides in that person through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has intellect, emotion, and will.
The primary role of the Spirit is that she bears witness of Jesus Christ, tells our hearts about the truth of Jesus, acts as a teacher, reveals God’s will and God’s truth to us. Jesus gave us His Spirit to produce God’s character in our life. We cannot do it on our own. She will build into our lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are called the fruits of the spirit. God knows it is impossible for us to produce these qualities on our own so we are told to walk in the Spirit and be filled with the Spirit. She empowers us to grow spiritually.
The Holy Spirit also convicts Christians and none Christians concerning how sinful we are, that we need forgiveness, reminds us how righteous Jesus is, that He died in our place, for our sins, and that God will eventually judge the world and those who do not know Him. The Spirit tugs on our hearts and minds, urging us to repent and turn to God for forgiveness and a new life.
Too often people think the Holy Spirit runs on the conservative track or on the charismatic track. Both of these miss the most important thing – the Spirit of God wants to have fellowship with us.
The deeper you go into understanding you have been justified by faith, the more alive you become in the Spirit. We see the Spirit’s presence in many ways: Scripture, spiritual gifts, the work of the church, and life circumstances. We know the Holy Spirit is real because the Bible says so. We know She indwells in every believer, and alone can give us the power that we need. Have you ever wondered how to receive this power for daily living? Some people say they know about God the Father, that they know God the Son even better. But they hardly know the Spirit.
Jesus told Nicodemus, that wind by its very nature is invisible and unpredictable. It will blow from the north today and from the south tomorrow or from the east or not at all. We can feel its effect and hear it whistling through the leaves, but the wind is totally free from man’s control. It exist everywhere on the earth and is continually in motion. It can be a slight breeze or a mighty rushing wind to a destructive force of tornado. Just as the wind is everywhere so is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is universal, not limited to one country, region or race of humanity. Like the wind, no one can control the work of the Spirit. As the wind blows from the heavens, so the Holy Spirit is sent from heaven.
I want to share with you my personal experience with the Holy Spirit. When I was at MD Anderson with our son, we received bad news. His cancer was very rare, there wasn't anything they could do. I called my husband, crying. He was here in Texarkana. He tried to console me but I felt so alone. I got on my knees cried out to the Holy Spirit. As I asked her to help me, the phone rang. It was Carolyn Bland. She had lost her son 6 months earlier. She said something kept telling her that I needed her. After we brought our son back to Texarkana, one day I stopped at the store to pick up some Sprite for our son as I headed to the hospital. Several people from church were at the store. Of course they all ask about our son. My eyes began to burn from fighting back my tears. If I cried my face would show I had cried all day. When I got to the car, I called on the Holy Spirit. Please don't let me cry. If I cry my son will know it. I will count to 10. Please take these tears away before I reach 10. I started counting. When I reached 8 the most peaceful feeling came over me. My need to cry was gone. I made it through the whole day without crying. I need the Holy Spirit to empower me each day. When I kneel to pray I always say come Holy Spirit: empower my prayer, see for me, hear for me, give me understanding, and put words in my mouth. You may wonder why I ask the Spirit to come. I must change and only God can change me. MY Father draws sinners to His son by means of the Holy Spirit. And all those who are drawn will in fact come to Jesus and those who come will never be turned away. (John 6: 37)
Our Father anxiously awaits to give us gifts. Are you curious about these gifts?
Riches? No . . . .only very few have that.
Beauty? No . . . .It’s only skin deep and doesn’t last forever.
Talent? No . . . .God gives us all a perfect measure according to His plan.
Possessions? No. . . .material things eventually blow away like the sand through an hourglass.
The good gift that God desires to give all His children, more than anything else, is . . . .The Holy Spirit! Not money, not talent, not skill, not ability, not success, not protection from hardship, not full-body armor against sin. The one gift that is more precious than all of that is something that only He can give! His very own Spirit! By having His Spirt: you are never alone, never need to be afraid, and empowered to do all things.
Can you think of a greater gift? To receive a fresh outpouring of the Spirit in your life, simply pray Come Holy Spirit, see for me, hear for me, understand for me. Fill me with wisdom.
Saturday, July 9, 2016
WHO DO YOU CHOOSE?
Who Do You Choose?
“Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.”
Psalms 37:7 NLT
Do you choose Jesus or everything else: TV, FaceBook, work, etc. want to spend time with Jesus? Slow down, be still, quiet, and wait expectantly. If you are always in a hurry you will miss out on talking to Jesus through prayer. Spend 30 minutes a day with your Father. You will be amazed at what a difference it will make.
God lives in your heart! Does God feel at home within you? Other things such as fear, anger, jealousy, murmuring and complaining reside there also. If you want God to be comfortable, you must give up things that cause us to forget about His presence or are offensive to Him. You must stop grumbling. Don't let strife and unrest inside of you. Don't harbor Unforgiveness. Engage in things that please and honor God's presence. Utter praises and words of thanksgiving to God.
Will God be comfortable in your heart today? Take an inventory of what goes on in your heart. Your heart is Holy Ground where God makes His home in you.
Our pastor did a sermon on forgiveness. He talked about forgiving all people who have hurt you. Jesus gave his life as a ransom for sinners. When Jesus died on the cross, He signed the peace treaty with His blood and ended for eternity the war between humanity’s sin and God’s If I am forgiven, then how can I justify not forgiving. Jesus didn't pick a few to be forgiven, He died for all of us. If I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior then I must follow His example.
The word God gave me to work on for 2016 is SURRENDER. What does surrendering mean? I think it means following God's lead without knowing where he is sending me. Waiting for God's timing without knowing when it will come; expecting a miracle without knowing how God will make it happen. Trusting God's purpose without understanding the circumstances. To surrender means I rely on God, I don't force my agenda, or try to take control of the situation. Realizing that I don't have to be in charge. I don't have to defend myself, or be self-serving, or edge others out or demand my rights. The night before Jesus crucifixion He surrendered himself to God's plan, to God's will.
Forgiveness becomes easier when I realize people are not my enemies. My battle isn't with flesh and blood but with Satan / a spiritual battle. So Father I choose you: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. I will put my armor on and step out in battle against Satan, knowing you are with me. I trust, surrender and submit to your will.
I invite you to join me, choose Jesus!!!
Remember God loves you and so do I.
“Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.”
Psalms 37:7 NLT
Do you choose Jesus or everything else: TV, FaceBook, work, etc. want to spend time with Jesus? Slow down, be still, quiet, and wait expectantly. If you are always in a hurry you will miss out on talking to Jesus through prayer. Spend 30 minutes a day with your Father. You will be amazed at what a difference it will make.
God lives in your heart! Does God feel at home within you? Other things such as fear, anger, jealousy, murmuring and complaining reside there also. If you want God to be comfortable, you must give up things that cause us to forget about His presence or are offensive to Him. You must stop grumbling. Don't let strife and unrest inside of you. Don't harbor Unforgiveness. Engage in things that please and honor God's presence. Utter praises and words of thanksgiving to God.
Will God be comfortable in your heart today? Take an inventory of what goes on in your heart. Your heart is Holy Ground where God makes His home in you.
Our pastor did a sermon on forgiveness. He talked about forgiving all people who have hurt you. Jesus gave his life as a ransom for sinners. When Jesus died on the cross, He signed the peace treaty with His blood and ended for eternity the war between humanity’s sin and God’s If I am forgiven, then how can I justify not forgiving. Jesus didn't pick a few to be forgiven, He died for all of us. If I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior then I must follow His example.
The word God gave me to work on for 2016 is SURRENDER. What does surrendering mean? I think it means following God's lead without knowing where he is sending me. Waiting for God's timing without knowing when it will come; expecting a miracle without knowing how God will make it happen. Trusting God's purpose without understanding the circumstances. To surrender means I rely on God, I don't force my agenda, or try to take control of the situation. Realizing that I don't have to be in charge. I don't have to defend myself, or be self-serving, or edge others out or demand my rights. The night before Jesus crucifixion He surrendered himself to God's plan, to God's will.
Forgiveness becomes easier when I realize people are not my enemies. My battle isn't with flesh and blood but with Satan / a spiritual battle. So Father I choose you: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. I will put my armor on and step out in battle against Satan, knowing you are with me. I trust, surrender and submit to your will.
I invite you to join me, choose Jesus!!!
Remember God loves you and so do I.
Friday, March 18, 2016
Will There Be A Day
“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.””
Revelation 21:4 NIV
Several were asked to read different poems by John Thornburg, mediate on it, right down a scripture it brought to your mind and then write a devotional for our 2015 Advent Devotional Guide. The poem I read was - Will There Be A Day?
Whether you want to believe it or not, our world is broken. There is evil in the world, not supposed to be any, but the fact remains there is. God intended this world to be perfect, but because of free will, Adam brought sin into the world and the rest is history. We are living in a fallen world. So what do we have to look forward to? HEAVEN!!!! Jesus' humiliation, death, and victory paved a way for us. He has enabled us to endure and overcome the trials that we encounter on life's difficult path.
It is not my nature to be negative. My parents always taught my brother and I that we were to look for good in all situations and we would find it. They also taught us there were only two choices in life: Do what God wants or do what you want. Each has a consequence.
I gave up worry two years ago for Lent. Yes, I have to remind myself from time to time, but letting go and letting God brings much peace and joy each day. Each day is a gift from God, a do over, a second chance to get it right. You can choose to be positive or be negative. After all God made this promise: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
The keys to navigate through life are to keep making right choices, to believe that God loves you, to remember that some things take time and are a process, to surround yourself with positive support and to stay in God's word.
Living in this out of sync world is only for a moment compared to eternity. John's description of Heaven gives me comfort. All of the things we hate about life on earth - sin, pain, tears, death, sorrow, suffering - will not exist in heaven. Eternity is a life free from all the wrongs in the world today. It is a life spent in unity with Christ, truly complete. That excites me. How about you?
We will experience joys and struggles in this world, but they don't hold a candle to the joy that awaits us in the presence of Jesus. This is why I am looking forward to with each new day that God blesses me with. What about you? Let's work together to be our Father's hands and feet, to spread the love of Jesus.
Remember God loves you and so do I.
Revelation 21:4 NIV
Several were asked to read different poems by John Thornburg, mediate on it, right down a scripture it brought to your mind and then write a devotional for our 2015 Advent Devotional Guide. The poem I read was - Will There Be A Day?
Whether you want to believe it or not, our world is broken. There is evil in the world, not supposed to be any, but the fact remains there is. God intended this world to be perfect, but because of free will, Adam brought sin into the world and the rest is history. We are living in a fallen world. So what do we have to look forward to? HEAVEN!!!! Jesus' humiliation, death, and victory paved a way for us. He has enabled us to endure and overcome the trials that we encounter on life's difficult path.
It is not my nature to be negative. My parents always taught my brother and I that we were to look for good in all situations and we would find it. They also taught us there were only two choices in life: Do what God wants or do what you want. Each has a consequence.
I gave up worry two years ago for Lent. Yes, I have to remind myself from time to time, but letting go and letting God brings much peace and joy each day. Each day is a gift from God, a do over, a second chance to get it right. You can choose to be positive or be negative. After all God made this promise: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
The keys to navigate through life are to keep making right choices, to believe that God loves you, to remember that some things take time and are a process, to surround yourself with positive support and to stay in God's word.
Living in this out of sync world is only for a moment compared to eternity. John's description of Heaven gives me comfort. All of the things we hate about life on earth - sin, pain, tears, death, sorrow, suffering - will not exist in heaven. Eternity is a life free from all the wrongs in the world today. It is a life spent in unity with Christ, truly complete. That excites me. How about you?
We will experience joys and struggles in this world, but they don't hold a candle to the joy that awaits us in the presence of Jesus. This is why I am looking forward to with each new day that God blesses me with. What about you? Let's work together to be our Father's hands and feet, to spread the love of Jesus.
Remember God loves you and so do I.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
The Cross
“Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.””
Luke 23:32-43 NLT
Do you find it strange that a tool of torture would Come To Embody Movement Of Hope?
Look there is the place called the skull. Do you see the two thieves, one on each side of Jesus? One looks over and sees Jesus. He hears the insult and sees the man remain quiet. He sees the fresh blood on Jesus' cheeks, the crown of thorns scraping Jesus' scalp, and he hears the hoarse whisper, "Father, forgive them." They are shouting bitter words, crucify him, shaming him as a criminal. Weren't the nails sufficient? Was the crown of thorns too soft? Had the flogging been too short? Why do they want him dead?
Slowly the thief's curiosity offsets the pain in his own body. He begins to feel a peculiar warmth in his heart, he begins to care about this peaceful martyr who has no anger in his eyes only tears. He doesn't retaliate. Make any threats like - just you wait until after the resurrection buddy! No Jesus entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He left the judging to God.
Then the soldiers steal his attention as they throw dice in the dirt and gamble for the ragged robe. He looks up and sees the sign above Jesus' head. It s painted with sarcasm; King of the Jews.
All of sudden his thoughts are exploded by the accusation of the criminal on the other cross. He too has been studying Jesus, but through the eyes of cynicism. "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself - and us, too, while you're at it!"
Here we have two individuals, each see the same Savior - one sees hope, the other sees nothing but himself.
The first criminal places himself between Jesus and the accusers and speaks on his behalf,while the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." The soldiers look up. The priests cease chattering, Mary wipes her tears and raises her eyes. All eyes turn to the criminal. Perhaps even Jesus looks at him. Perhaps He turns to see the only one who had spoken when all others were silent. Perhaps he fights to focus his eyes on the one who offered this final gesture of love he is receiving while still alive. Maybe he smiled as this sheep straggling into the fold. This criminal's two statements are what everyone needs to recognize in order to come to Jesus let me repeat it: "We are getting what we deserve" and "This man has done nothing wrong".
We. Are guilty and he is innocent.
We are filthy and he is pure.
We are wrong and he is right.
He is not on the cross for his sins. He is there for ours.
The criminal understands this, his request seems only natural. He makes the same request any Christian has made: "Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom". No stained glass homilies. No excuses. Just a desperate plea for help. At this point Jesus performs the greatest miracle of the cross. Greater than the earthquake, greater than the tearing of the temple curtain. Greater than the darkness. Greater than the resurrected saints appearing on the streets. He performs the miracle of forgiveness. A sin-soaked criminal is received by a blood-stained Savior.
And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
If anyone was ever worthless this criminal was. If any man deserved to die, he probably did. If any fellow was ever a loser, this fellow probably was at the top of the list. Perhaps that is why Jesus chose him to show us what he thinks of the human race.
Maybe this criminal had heard the Messiah speak. Maybe he had seen him love the,lowly. Maybe not. But something told him he had never been in better company and somehow he realized that even though all he had was prayers, he finally met One to whom he should pray.
The hand painted sign placed above the head of Jesus was written in three languages: Hebrew, Latin, and Greek - "This is the Kimg of the Jews". Pilate had inteneded the sign to threaten and mock the Jesus, but God used it as an instrument for spreading the gospel. Everyone in Israel spoke one of the three languages. Christ was declared Kng in them all. Jesus was a king for all people.
We don't have to look very far in any direction without seeing a cross. It might be a cross perched atop a chapel, or carved in a headstone or on a ring or suspended on a chain. The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. An odd choice? A tool of torture as a movement of hope. Why the cross for our symbol of faith? It really is very simple: One beam horizontal the other vertical. One reaches out - like God's love, the other reaches up - as does God's holiness. The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.
Christ lived the life we could not live and took the punishment we could not take to offer the hope we cannot resist. It wasn't the soldiers who killed Jesus nor the screams of the mob, but His devotion to us.
Christ stretched one hand to the right and the other to the left and had them nailed in that position so we would know He Died Loving You and Me!!! Christ came to earth for one reason to give his as a ransoms for you and me - for all of us. He sacrificed himself to give us a second chance. His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.
Luke 23:32-43 NLT
Do you find it strange that a tool of torture would Come To Embody Movement Of Hope?
Look there is the place called the skull. Do you see the two thieves, one on each side of Jesus? One looks over and sees Jesus. He hears the insult and sees the man remain quiet. He sees the fresh blood on Jesus' cheeks, the crown of thorns scraping Jesus' scalp, and he hears the hoarse whisper, "Father, forgive them." They are shouting bitter words, crucify him, shaming him as a criminal. Weren't the nails sufficient? Was the crown of thorns too soft? Had the flogging been too short? Why do they want him dead?
Slowly the thief's curiosity offsets the pain in his own body. He begins to feel a peculiar warmth in his heart, he begins to care about this peaceful martyr who has no anger in his eyes only tears. He doesn't retaliate. Make any threats like - just you wait until after the resurrection buddy! No Jesus entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He left the judging to God.
Then the soldiers steal his attention as they throw dice in the dirt and gamble for the ragged robe. He looks up and sees the sign above Jesus' head. It s painted with sarcasm; King of the Jews.
All of sudden his thoughts are exploded by the accusation of the criminal on the other cross. He too has been studying Jesus, but through the eyes of cynicism. "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself - and us, too, while you're at it!"
Here we have two individuals, each see the same Savior - one sees hope, the other sees nothing but himself.
The first criminal places himself between Jesus and the accusers and speaks on his behalf,while the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." The soldiers look up. The priests cease chattering, Mary wipes her tears and raises her eyes. All eyes turn to the criminal. Perhaps even Jesus looks at him. Perhaps He turns to see the only one who had spoken when all others were silent. Perhaps he fights to focus his eyes on the one who offered this final gesture of love he is receiving while still alive. Maybe he smiled as this sheep straggling into the fold. This criminal's two statements are what everyone needs to recognize in order to come to Jesus let me repeat it: "We are getting what we deserve" and "This man has done nothing wrong".
We. Are guilty and he is innocent.
We are filthy and he is pure.
We are wrong and he is right.
He is not on the cross for his sins. He is there for ours.
The criminal understands this, his request seems only natural. He makes the same request any Christian has made: "Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom". No stained glass homilies. No excuses. Just a desperate plea for help. At this point Jesus performs the greatest miracle of the cross. Greater than the earthquake, greater than the tearing of the temple curtain. Greater than the darkness. Greater than the resurrected saints appearing on the streets. He performs the miracle of forgiveness. A sin-soaked criminal is received by a blood-stained Savior.
And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
If anyone was ever worthless this criminal was. If any man deserved to die, he probably did. If any fellow was ever a loser, this fellow probably was at the top of the list. Perhaps that is why Jesus chose him to show us what he thinks of the human race.
Maybe this criminal had heard the Messiah speak. Maybe he had seen him love the,lowly. Maybe not. But something told him he had never been in better company and somehow he realized that even though all he had was prayers, he finally met One to whom he should pray.
The hand painted sign placed above the head of Jesus was written in three languages: Hebrew, Latin, and Greek - "This is the Kimg of the Jews". Pilate had inteneded the sign to threaten and mock the Jesus, but God used it as an instrument for spreading the gospel. Everyone in Israel spoke one of the three languages. Christ was declared Kng in them all. Jesus was a king for all people.
We don't have to look very far in any direction without seeing a cross. It might be a cross perched atop a chapel, or carved in a headstone or on a ring or suspended on a chain. The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. An odd choice? A tool of torture as a movement of hope. Why the cross for our symbol of faith? It really is very simple: One beam horizontal the other vertical. One reaches out - like God's love, the other reaches up - as does God's holiness. The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.
Christ lived the life we could not live and took the punishment we could not take to offer the hope we cannot resist. It wasn't the soldiers who killed Jesus nor the screams of the mob, but His devotion to us.
Christ stretched one hand to the right and the other to the left and had them nailed in that position so we would know He Died Loving You and Me!!! Christ came to earth for one reason to give his as a ransoms for you and me - for all of us. He sacrificed himself to give us a second chance. His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Let There Be Peace On Earth
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”
1 John 4:20-21 NIV
On my way to church, the song Let There Be Peace on Earth kept coming to my mind. When this happens I know in my heart it is something my Father wants me to share. I had been praying for clarity, reciting Psalms 13, and putting to memory: “But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the LORD because he is good to me.”
Psalms 13:5-6 NLT
During the sermon preached by John Thornburg I received the answer to my prayer. He talked about John the Baptist crying in the wilderness. That John still speaks to us today. His message change. In this troubled world, with all the prejudice, hate, and injustice, this is what My Father wants me to share.
CHRISTMAS SONG
Let There Be Peace on Earth
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our Father
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
With peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.
As we celebrate Jesus' Birthday, give Him the gift of your heart. Allow Him to fill it with love. After all He gave His life for all of us. I am a gentile, and my Father has adapted me. We are told in the Bible Genesis 17:19 - 20 that God will confirm His covenant with Isaac and will bless Ishmael, make him fruitful. . . . .; Acts 3: 25 says . . .And In Your Seed All The Families Of The Earth Shall Be Blessed; “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.”Galatians 3:26-29 NLT
God wants us to see the world through Jesus' eyes, to allow the Holy Spirit to put right thoughts in our minds, words in our mouths, and understanding. We must rely on the Holy Spirit's wisdom.
Will you join me in letting the peace begin with us?
Remember God loves you and so do I.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
FAITH
“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT
Faith is not denying reality, or pretending you don't have a problem. It isn't saying I'm not in pain, when you are, or saying I don't hurt when you do, or that you are happy when you are grieving inside. Faith is facing the facts without being disheartened by them because you know God is greater than the problem. There is a Christianity today that basically says, "Deny all of your problems. Just have a positive confession. Name it and claim it." I don't think that kind of thinking comes from Jesus. Faith is facing reality without being discouraged by it. You know God can change a situation. You can build a family on Faith, not fantasy. The same is true in the business world. You can't build a life on fantasy but you can on Faith. How? Look beyond your circumstances: "We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen (the problem) is temporary, but what is unseen (God's Power) is eternal" 2Cor. 4:18 NIV.
If you look at the world you will become distressed, if you look inside you may become depressed. The world is full of problems, and all of us have things that need changing in our lives. But if you look at Jesus you will be at rest. You will see your deliverer and not your difficulty - you will make it.
Remember God loves you and so do I.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT
Faith is not denying reality, or pretending you don't have a problem. It isn't saying I'm not in pain, when you are, or saying I don't hurt when you do, or that you are happy when you are grieving inside. Faith is facing the facts without being disheartened by them because you know God is greater than the problem. There is a Christianity today that basically says, "Deny all of your problems. Just have a positive confession. Name it and claim it." I don't think that kind of thinking comes from Jesus. Faith is facing reality without being discouraged by it. You know God can change a situation. You can build a family on Faith, not fantasy. The same is true in the business world. You can't build a life on fantasy but you can on Faith. How? Look beyond your circumstances: "We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen (the problem) is temporary, but what is unseen (God's Power) is eternal" 2Cor. 4:18 NIV.
If you look at the world you will become distressed, if you look inside you may become depressed. The world is full of problems, and all of us have things that need changing in our lives. But if you look at Jesus you will be at rest. You will see your deliverer and not your difficulty - you will make it.
Remember God loves you and so do I.
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