"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' 37 yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, no things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39
We are having an event on the town square of the city in which I pastor. The Lord has put it in our hearts to have a Christian band come and play, and have an outreach event. And so we are. He has worked it out in an unbelievable way, just as He always does. We have sponsors and vendors and commercials on the radio, all as a testament to the unwavering love that Jesus Christ has for our souls. The enemy has come against us in a mighty way this week, but our God is bigger. My wife even told me that the Beach Boys were going to be at the Silver Springs attraction which is in a little town very, very close to here. "Ah...," I said. I was thinking, "Oh boy, just one more thing to take people away from our event." I wasn't thinking this in a selfish way. I just want a lot of people there to see and hear the gospel message, presented by the band, and a Christian mime team we are having perform as well. But then the Holy Spirit whispered to me, "Uh, Rod?" In that gentle and tender way He always does, He reminded me that the God we serve is much, much bigger than any band, or any event that we might be having. He created the heavens and the earth with just a Word. He can surely take care of this little event.
And that is a Word for all of us. It doesn't matter which way the wind is blowing. Maybe your situation if frock full of tension and heartache. Maybe your circumstances look and grim. Maybe there are storm warnings all around you, as you navigate your way on the sea of life. The waves may look ominous in your eyes, and the wind may be howling in your ears. But take heart in this: God is bigger than your situation. If He weren't, He wouldn't be God. But He is. He loves us so much, with a perfect love that will not let us go. And nothing can separate us from that love. Not the bills coming due and not enough money in the bank. Not a bad relationship that is going down the tubes. He loves us with a perfect love that will not let us go. Think about that. Read the words of Paul above. And in this life, when it seems that our own personal circumstances are about to win out over our faith, remember, that our God, the God we serve, truly wants to have a relationship with you, in spite of what you are going through. In spite of all other things this world had to offer you as a temporary solution.
And beloved, remember this above all else: Yes, Virginia, God is bigger than the Beach Boys.
Shalom. Shalom.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
He Is Risen
"He is not here; for He is risen, as He said...." Matthew 28:6
These are the most beautiful words in the universe. Jesus is not in the empty tomb! Mohammad is in his grave. Buddha is in his grave. Confucius is in his grave. Gandhi is in his grave. But Jesus' tomb is empty! Moreover, He told us that He would rise from the grave. Jesus is a Man of His Word. Beloved, we can count on Jesus to be true, and to be truth. That is what His Word is. It is true. And it is truth.
He told us He would rise again. And He has. So can you and I be raised from the death of the life we live. There is pain and suffering in this world that we cannot explain. But we know that we can rise from it, because that is what Jesus did. As believers, we will one day very soon blast off out of this world and into the next in the Rapture, caught up to be with Jesus in the clouds, a "rising from the dead" if you will. But now, during this life, as we face situations and circumstances and difficulties, we can rise from the dead because Jesus rose, and defeated death, hell, sin, and the grave. Satan wants to drag you down to eternal death, and destroy your soul. But we can put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ the Son of God, who defeated the power of death, and likewise defeated the power of the enemy, who is the devil.
Beloved, this day, know that Jesus has risen, just as He said. There are other promises Jesus made too, which we can believe, because He said them. Stand upon His Word, and believe and trust in Him. Shalom.
These are the most beautiful words in the universe. Jesus is not in the empty tomb! Mohammad is in his grave. Buddha is in his grave. Confucius is in his grave. Gandhi is in his grave. But Jesus' tomb is empty! Moreover, He told us that He would rise from the grave. Jesus is a Man of His Word. Beloved, we can count on Jesus to be true, and to be truth. That is what His Word is. It is true. And it is truth.
He told us He would rise again. And He has. So can you and I be raised from the death of the life we live. There is pain and suffering in this world that we cannot explain. But we know that we can rise from it, because that is what Jesus did. As believers, we will one day very soon blast off out of this world and into the next in the Rapture, caught up to be with Jesus in the clouds, a "rising from the dead" if you will. But now, during this life, as we face situations and circumstances and difficulties, we can rise from the dead because Jesus rose, and defeated death, hell, sin, and the grave. Satan wants to drag you down to eternal death, and destroy your soul. But we can put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ the Son of God, who defeated the power of death, and likewise defeated the power of the enemy, who is the devil.
Beloved, this day, know that Jesus has risen, just as He said. There are other promises Jesus made too, which we can believe, because He said them. Stand upon His Word, and believe and trust in Him. Shalom.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Good Friday: Some Thoughts
"And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.' And they divided His garments and cast lots. 35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, 'He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.' 36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, 'If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.' 38 And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, 'If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.' 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.' 42 Then he said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.' 43 And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.' 44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, 'Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.' Having said this, He breathed His last. 47 So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, 'Certainly this was a righteous Man!' 48 And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. 48 But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things." Luke 23:33-49
I find it amazing, that people are still sneering at our Lord even today. I was just talking to a lady last night at the video store who was going on and on about "those Christians," until I told her I was a pastor. She started back-pedaling pretty fast. She couldn't make enough excuses for what she said, fast enough. On the first "Good Friday," the crowd that had gathered sneered. The soldiers on the scene rolled dice, as it were, for Jesus' robe, and told Him that if He really was the King of the Jews, that He should save Himself. Even one of the thieves hanging there beside Him, our Lord and Savior, would not stop his mockery, while Jesus was dying on the cross, the precious blood streaming down. I am amazed that even though the people have changed, things are still the same.
Another thought I have had about "Good Friday" is this: why do they call it "Good?" There are lots of answers, ranging from "the end result is good, is it not" to "it used to be called 'God's Friday' but over time there was an adding of an 'o' so now it is called Good Friday." How ever it got its name, in my mind there is nothing "good" about brutally murdering a man on a cross, except the ensuing result. We have made such a common thing this cross of Christ. We make jewelry out of it. We make a lot of things in the form or shape of a cross. We even try to make it attractive to some in an attempt to draw them into our churches. But the cross of Christ was a place of brutality and murder.
Someone once asked the question, "What was Jesus doing up there on the cross?" He was subbing for you and me. He was taking our place. The Bible says in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death...." And in Romans 3:23 it says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." A lot of times we place the emphasis of that verse on the "all" and it should be placed on the "sinned." We are all guilty, and we are all going to die- unless there is a substitute for us. Someone must be willing to give up their own life for your life, or their life for mine. That is what Jesus did on that cross, on April 3rd, 33 AD. He became the substitute for you and me. He took our place. He gave His life, so that we wouldn't have to. So that is what happened at 3:00 p.m. on that Friday so long ago. The Savior of the world gave up His life as substitutionary atonement to reconcile man and God. All we have to do is accept it. And now, even though it is Friday, we can have hope, because Sunday is coming! Shalom.
I find it amazing, that people are still sneering at our Lord even today. I was just talking to a lady last night at the video store who was going on and on about "those Christians," until I told her I was a pastor. She started back-pedaling pretty fast. She couldn't make enough excuses for what she said, fast enough. On the first "Good Friday," the crowd that had gathered sneered. The soldiers on the scene rolled dice, as it were, for Jesus' robe, and told Him that if He really was the King of the Jews, that He should save Himself. Even one of the thieves hanging there beside Him, our Lord and Savior, would not stop his mockery, while Jesus was dying on the cross, the precious blood streaming down. I am amazed that even though the people have changed, things are still the same.
Another thought I have had about "Good Friday" is this: why do they call it "Good?" There are lots of answers, ranging from "the end result is good, is it not" to "it used to be called 'God's Friday' but over time there was an adding of an 'o' so now it is called Good Friday." How ever it got its name, in my mind there is nothing "good" about brutally murdering a man on a cross, except the ensuing result. We have made such a common thing this cross of Christ. We make jewelry out of it. We make a lot of things in the form or shape of a cross. We even try to make it attractive to some in an attempt to draw them into our churches. But the cross of Christ was a place of brutality and murder.
Someone once asked the question, "What was Jesus doing up there on the cross?" He was subbing for you and me. He was taking our place. The Bible says in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death...." And in Romans 3:23 it says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." A lot of times we place the emphasis of that verse on the "all" and it should be placed on the "sinned." We are all guilty, and we are all going to die- unless there is a substitute for us. Someone must be willing to give up their own life for your life, or their life for mine. That is what Jesus did on that cross, on April 3rd, 33 AD. He became the substitute for you and me. He took our place. He gave His life, so that we wouldn't have to. So that is what happened at 3:00 p.m. on that Friday so long ago. The Savior of the world gave up His life as substitutionary atonement to reconcile man and God. All we have to do is accept it. And now, even though it is Friday, we can have hope, because Sunday is coming! Shalom.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Saying The Same Thing
"He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.' 40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, 'What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.' 42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, ' O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.' 43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words." Matthew 26:39-44
On this Thursday before Good Friday, I was contemplating the whole situation of Jesus' life, from the Last Supper through the death, burial, and resurrection, when I read this part of Scripture, and something jumped out at me that I had never realized before. Jesus prayed the same prayer three times. I realize that this will probably end up not being about Easter/Resurrection Day, or whatever you call it, but so be it. I have been told so many times by so many people, people whom I looked up to and respected, that God doesn't want to hear our repetitiveness. And here we have Jesus Himself, praying the same prayer three times in a row..."the same words" it tells us. But it isn't just about whether it is right or not to pray the same prayer over and over again. No. It is much more than that. It is about the urgency of the cry of our heart, and the inability to think about or pray about anything else but our current situation. And I don't believe that God turns a deaf ear to that. He loves us with a perfect love that will not let us go.
I believe that our Father in heaven never tires of us coming to Him, regardless if it is repetitiveness or not. The Word says "let your requests be make known to God" (Philippians 4:6). I don't read any conditions there. No fine print. No asterisk clauses. Just the simple statement about letting us make our requests known unto God. Whatever the situation, beloved, we can let our requests be made known unto God. And the God of the universe, the Creator who flung the worlds and planets and stars and moon and sun into place, the Creator who speaks and multiple universes come into being, that God wants to have a relationship with you and me. He wants to live inside us. He longs for relationship with us. So much so, that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to make reconciliation between God and man, Him and us.
Jesus faced a situation where the cross was set before Him, and that He must bear the sin of the entire world past, present, and future, and He knew the Father would turn away from Him in that hour. Yet He did not pray once, or even twice, but three times, using the same words. So beloved, if in the urgency of your heart, and in the need of your situation, all you can do is pray the same thing, it is okay! God knows, God hears, and God is faithful to answer. He loves you! He loves me too! Shalom!
On this Thursday before Good Friday, I was contemplating the whole situation of Jesus' life, from the Last Supper through the death, burial, and resurrection, when I read this part of Scripture, and something jumped out at me that I had never realized before. Jesus prayed the same prayer three times. I realize that this will probably end up not being about Easter/Resurrection Day, or whatever you call it, but so be it. I have been told so many times by so many people, people whom I looked up to and respected, that God doesn't want to hear our repetitiveness. And here we have Jesus Himself, praying the same prayer three times in a row..."the same words" it tells us. But it isn't just about whether it is right or not to pray the same prayer over and over again. No. It is much more than that. It is about the urgency of the cry of our heart, and the inability to think about or pray about anything else but our current situation. And I don't believe that God turns a deaf ear to that. He loves us with a perfect love that will not let us go.
I believe that our Father in heaven never tires of us coming to Him, regardless if it is repetitiveness or not. The Word says "let your requests be make known to God" (Philippians 4:6). I don't read any conditions there. No fine print. No asterisk clauses. Just the simple statement about letting us make our requests known unto God. Whatever the situation, beloved, we can let our requests be made known unto God. And the God of the universe, the Creator who flung the worlds and planets and stars and moon and sun into place, the Creator who speaks and multiple universes come into being, that God wants to have a relationship with you and me. He wants to live inside us. He longs for relationship with us. So much so, that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to make reconciliation between God and man, Him and us.
Jesus faced a situation where the cross was set before Him, and that He must bear the sin of the entire world past, present, and future, and He knew the Father would turn away from Him in that hour. Yet He did not pray once, or even twice, but three times, using the same words. So beloved, if in the urgency of your heart, and in the need of your situation, all you can do is pray the same thing, it is okay! God knows, God hears, and God is faithful to answer. He loves you! He loves me too! Shalom!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Thoughts on Easter/Resurrection Day (Or Whatever You Call It)
"And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry....11 Then the devil left Him, and behold angels came and ministered to Him." Matthew 4:2,11
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.' 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.'" Matthew 26:26-28
I never know what to call this day that is coming. I called it Easter for so long growing up, and even into my adult life, that it is hard to stop, even though now I know the origins, and don't want to give credence to that by calling it "Easter." Easter as some of you know, comes from a pronunciation of 'Ishtar." For more on those subjects, of which I could spend all time and space allowed here, you might do yourself a service and do a study on it. But don't just plug it in to your search engine and get all google-eyed, because the internet is full of, shall we say, "questionable" sources. Get some books from your pastor, or a Bible software program, and do the research within the Bible. Your pastor should be able to point you in the right direction. The day that Jesus Christ arose from the dead is never called Easter in the Bible. So that is why I now choose to call it Resurrection Day. I'm not sure that is in the Bible either, as a name for that glorious day (it never came up in my search of my Bible software program), but it just seems more appropriate, fitting. I am not saying I am right, or that you should make the switch. I'm just saying for me this is what i try to do.
But something caught my attention as I was reading this morning, and meditating on God's Word. My mind was directed to go back and re-read Matthew 4, where Jesus is tempted in the wilderness by Satan. Since I am going through my own dry, desert place right now, I thought it only right to read this passage again. The Word tells us that Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. That is a long time. I miss one meal in one day and I am a basket case. But here, our Lord, went without food and water for forty days and nights. Some might want to explain it away by saying, "Yes, but He was God. He can do that sort of thing." To say this takes away all humanity from our Savior. Yes He was God, but He was fully human as well. To take away His humanity is to take away His death, which in turn would take away His resurrection. Jesus Christ was fully God, yes, but He was fully human. He got hungry. Just like you and me. He got thirsty. Just like you and me. He had moments when His flesh was weak. Just like you and me. And don't think that the devil, when showing Jesus the stones and telling Him to turn them into bread, didn't make the smell of fresh baked bread come wafting up from someplace. Jesus was hungry, and to just say turn the stones to bread, while teasing, would not be the temptation that fresh baked bread would be.
So we call this week Holy Week. To me, every week is Holy Week. No, I don't pray the stations of the cross. There is only one station where I meet Jesus. It is on top of Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, where I meet Jesus...at the foot of the cross. That is the place where the ground is level, and it does not mater if I have money or am the poorest person in town. It doesn't matter whether I am the president or the janitor. It doesn't matter if I am black, yellow, brown, red, white, or green with purple polka dots. All that matters is that I come to Him, and meet Him there, at the place where His precious blood drips down to cover my sins with forgiveness, and washes them whiter than snow.
You might call it Resurrection Day. You may call it Easter. It's okay. It isn't as important so much what you call it, but that you meet Him at the cross, receive His death, and celebrate His resurrection. So go forth this day, beloved, and celebrate the resurrection and the life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Shalom!
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.' 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.'" Matthew 26:26-28
I never know what to call this day that is coming. I called it Easter for so long growing up, and even into my adult life, that it is hard to stop, even though now I know the origins, and don't want to give credence to that by calling it "Easter." Easter as some of you know, comes from a pronunciation of 'Ishtar." For more on those subjects, of which I could spend all time and space allowed here, you might do yourself a service and do a study on it. But don't just plug it in to your search engine and get all google-eyed, because the internet is full of, shall we say, "questionable" sources. Get some books from your pastor, or a Bible software program, and do the research within the Bible. Your pastor should be able to point you in the right direction. The day that Jesus Christ arose from the dead is never called Easter in the Bible. So that is why I now choose to call it Resurrection Day. I'm not sure that is in the Bible either, as a name for that glorious day (it never came up in my search of my Bible software program), but it just seems more appropriate, fitting. I am not saying I am right, or that you should make the switch. I'm just saying for me this is what i try to do.
But something caught my attention as I was reading this morning, and meditating on God's Word. My mind was directed to go back and re-read Matthew 4, where Jesus is tempted in the wilderness by Satan. Since I am going through my own dry, desert place right now, I thought it only right to read this passage again. The Word tells us that Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. That is a long time. I miss one meal in one day and I am a basket case. But here, our Lord, went without food and water for forty days and nights. Some might want to explain it away by saying, "Yes, but He was God. He can do that sort of thing." To say this takes away all humanity from our Savior. Yes He was God, but He was fully human as well. To take away His humanity is to take away His death, which in turn would take away His resurrection. Jesus Christ was fully God, yes, but He was fully human. He got hungry. Just like you and me. He got thirsty. Just like you and me. He had moments when His flesh was weak. Just like you and me. And don't think that the devil, when showing Jesus the stones and telling Him to turn them into bread, didn't make the smell of fresh baked bread come wafting up from someplace. Jesus was hungry, and to just say turn the stones to bread, while teasing, would not be the temptation that fresh baked bread would be.
So we call this week Holy Week. To me, every week is Holy Week. No, I don't pray the stations of the cross. There is only one station where I meet Jesus. It is on top of Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, where I meet Jesus...at the foot of the cross. That is the place where the ground is level, and it does not mater if I have money or am the poorest person in town. It doesn't matter whether I am the president or the janitor. It doesn't matter if I am black, yellow, brown, red, white, or green with purple polka dots. All that matters is that I come to Him, and meet Him there, at the place where His precious blood drips down to cover my sins with forgiveness, and washes them whiter than snow.
You might call it Resurrection Day. You may call it Easter. It's okay. It isn't as important so much what you call it, but that you meet Him at the cross, receive His death, and celebrate His resurrection. So go forth this day, beloved, and celebrate the resurrection and the life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Shalom!
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