Archive for March, 2010
March 31st, 2010
When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” Mark 16:5-7 NLT
In the year 2010…Easter is…? Bunnies. Colored eggs. Chocolate Rabbits. Plastic junk. And religious rhetoric?
After spending hours and hours studying the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to find out exactly what Holy Week and Easter mean to ME, I’ve come to this conclusion:
Jesus Christ is the same today as He was on that first Resurrection Morning in 33 A.D. He is alive. He is victorious. His name is above every name that is named, in heaven and on earth. He holds the keys to my eternal life in His hands. He holds the lives and futures of those I love in His hands. There is no other way to God the Father except through God the Son and my acceptance of what He did for me personally on Calvary’s cross centuries ago. His gift of life is the only thing that makes sense today in our world of complete moral collapse, too much chocolate, plastic junk, and religious rhetoric!
Over the years I’ve learned a few things about following Christ. During this season of Lent some things have been magnified a hundredfold. A list of the high points might read:
1. Religion kills people. Christ saves them.
2. Anyone can prove any point by quoting scripture. Only a personal, Holy Spirit revealed knowledge of scripture, can provide the truth about who and what Christ really means in the life of each and every individual on the planet.
3. Following Christ is not about what I can believe. Following Christ is about what I can obey.
4. Every day of my life is about choice. I can choose blessings or I can choose curses. My choice dictates what I accomplish every day.
5. God’s Word IS alive and active and it is my owner’s manual for getting through every situation. In God’s Word there is guidance for all of life’s circumstances.
6. IF I am willing to spend the time to build a relationship with Jesus, by getting to know him personally through the living and active Word of God, my life will be forever changed. I will be blessed. I can live in peace. I have His promise!
7. !Important! I am a spirit. I have a soul (my mind, my will and my emotions). I live in a body. God IS a Spirit. There is no other way for me to be acceptable to God than by accepting my need for a spiritual rebirth.
In the year 2010 Easter is NOT about spiritual rebirth and obedience. But is should be! No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. John 3:5-20 NLT
On the first Resurrection Sunday Mary and the disciples were amazed by the presence of the living Christ. He appeared in their midst and spoke these most profound words to one of them, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Dr. Luke, in chapter 24 of his narrative, tells of another encounter with the risen Christ: “Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
“What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. “Luke 24:13-53 NIV
Eyewitness accounts! In 2010 we know all about eyewitness accounts. Our justice system hangs its credibility on eyewitness accounts. Our idolized celebrities rise or fall based on eyewitness accounts. So why would we doubt the eyewitness accounts of so many?
On Friday Jesus Christ was crucified. On Saturday He conquered all that is dark and evil, striping the prince of this world of power; taking away the keys to death, hell and the grave. Today He walks and talks with us; he breaks bread with us. He is alive!
And because of the great love of God the Father, the great sacrifice of God the Son, and the wonderful counsel of God the Holy Spirit (who now lives within me) I am also alive! I can choose victory and peace. Nothing may enter my life that does not first pass under His name. I have His promise!
He is Risen!!! Happy Easter!!!!
March 30th, 2010
“Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hell!” Revelation 1:10-18
Not a great deal is written about Saturday – the day after His crucifixion, the day before His resurrection – in the gospel accounts.
Luke gives us a single sentence…”On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandments.” Luke 24:56b
Luke, the only known Gentile author in the New Testament, makes an observation here that speaks volumes for me. “They (the Jewish followers of Christ)…they (the Jewish disciples of Christ), rested. They rested! According to the commandments! Please understand, the exclamation points here are mine, and mine alone. But, as a Gentile believer myself, I was amazed when this statement sunk in to my thinking. On that Saturday, ‘they’ were grief stricken, confused and without a shepherd…trapped somewhere between their religion which had bound them for a lifetime before Jesus came along and said “follow me!” – and “he whom the Son sets free, shall be free indeed.”
We recently heard a Jewish rabbi who is a believer in Yeshua the Messiah say, “some modern day Jews go to extremes in following the commandments.” There’s an ancient Jewish tradition which says tearing is considered work. The commandments forbid work of any kind on the Sabbath. Apparently a couple of millennia or so ago when the question ‘what is work?’ arose, some ancient genius came up with the idea of using any occupation connected with the construction of Solomon’s Temple as the yardstick. Maybe, during construction, it was necessary to tear the fabrics used for wall hangings? So…tearing is classified as work! Today these extreme followers of the Jewish tradition tear enough toilet paper on the day of Preparation to prevent the need for the work of tearing on the Sabbath! Things weren’t so terribly different on the Saturday after the cross. Remember the accusations of the religious community when Jesus healed on the Sabbath? Luke 14:1-6
Jesus had just spent the last three years teaching them what it meant to be free from the demands and dictates of a dead religion, then suddenly a dark cloud comes over their lives, and it looks like he’s gone. What do ‘they’ do? Turn right back to their old way of thinking…right back to their religious traditions. Am I guilty of doing the same thing? Do I so easily turn my back on his teaching when a dark cloud appears on my horizon and it looks like he’s not there shepherding, prodding me along the way I need to go? I wonder?
Mark’s record skips straight from Friday to Sunday. “they laid Jesus in the tomb…and when the Sabbath was past…” Mark 15:46 – 16:1 John’s gospel is the same. “as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. Now on the first day of the week…” John 19:42 – 20:1
It is Matthew who tells us that on Saturday, “the next day” – the day after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said;
“Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”
Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it. Matthew 27:62-66 NLT
‘Seal it the best you can!’ This is key! Remember it…
In his letters to the new believers, Paul writes of what was really going on Saturday. The Jewish converts were resting, according to the commandments of Moses. The religious sects who had schemed for years to destroy Him continued to posture and plot against Him. The pagans, Pilate, the Roman guards and the rest of the idol worshiping world, were by now bored with the whole thing and had moved on to yet another round of politico and debauchery.
“Seal it the best you can… don’t bother me with it again…it bores me…. That was Friday, this is a new day. What can it matter?”
But Paul…by revelation, through the Holy Spirit…tells me what Christ was doing on the Saturday that would change the world forever. To the church at Ephesus Paul writes: “When he ascended on high he lead a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens the he might fill all things.)” Ephesians 4:8-10
Into the lower parts of the earth…? What does that mean for me? In one translation King David, a man after God’s own heart called that place Sheol. The King James Bible translates it another way, ”If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” Psalm 139:8
Twenty-first century ‘religious’ teachers tend to skip smoothly past Saturday in their Holy Week sermons. “He was crucified! He is Risen!!! Hooray!” This type of teaching leaves us assuming Christ died, was laid in the tomb, stayed there until Resurrection morning, and then walked out to show himself to Mary and the disciples. Uh huh…Lovely! Happy Easter!
To the crowds of followers Jesus said, “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. John 12:27-33
As they walked toward the garden of His betrayal Jesus told the disciples, “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:32-34
John, the revelator, by the power of the Holy Spirit, saw the bigger picture. Christ was crucified. His followers rested. The religious Jews and the Romans turned away and for the most part forgot about Him, thinking they had dealt with the situation once and for all. But on that long ago Saturday, Jesus Christ, the Son of God was not waiting patiently in Joseph’s tomb for Sunday morning. He went instead straight into satan’s realm, conquered him, and set his captives free. Jesus, the conquering King, placed His foot on the neck of the defeated foe and took away the keys to the realm. Rev. 1:17-18
Christ descended, not only from deity to humanity, and from humanity to infamy and death, but also into the lower parts of the earth. Into hell itself. There He took back what Adam allowed satan, the prince of this world, to steal in the dawn of man’s existence. Jesus conquered death, hell and the grave. He liberated captive souls from satan’s grasp. He established His absolute authority on the earth forever more.
Because of what Christ has done I am free! I rejoice in my freedom from the past; from the powers and principalities of the enemy’s conquered realm, from fear, and all things common to those who do not believe in His victory over death, hell and the grave.
Between the crucifixion and the resurrection Jesus went to hell and back.
“Now the prince of this world will be driven out…take heart! I have overcome the world.”
March 26th, 2010
Psalm 34 NLT
I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord;
let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
let us exalt his name together.
I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
he saved me from all my troubles.
For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
for those who fear him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.
Come, my children, and listen to me,
and I will teach you to fear the Lord.
Does anyone want to live a life
that is long and prosperous?
Then keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies!
Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;
his ears are open to their cries for help.
But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil;
he will erase their memory from the earth.
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
The righteous person faces many troubles,
but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous;
not one of them is broken!
Calamity will surely overtake the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
But the Lord will redeem those who serve him.
No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
God’s will for the lives of His children is PEACE, love and joy in all circumstances. When you’re losing your spiritual battles your life is going to be a MESS, because when the enemy’s forces are winning love, joy and peace are destroyed.
Think of the pictures you’ve seen of Europe after Hitler’s invasion forces went through the towns and villages. Everything lovely, beautiful, serene and peaceful was destroyed. The results of satan’s forces invading our lives is exactly the same. There is, however, one major difference; the victims of war in the natural have little or no choice in the matter. In the natural realm, victims of war can only flee the invading troops, or as in the “Diary of Anne Frank,” hide from them. In our war against the spiritual forces of evil – we can choose PEACE.
How many of you understand that LOVE is a choice? Have you ever said, “God, I don’t even like that person. But, in Christ, because you command me to, I can and will forgive and love them”?
Joy and peace are choices too. YOU choose to walk in peace and joy, or not. You are the one who determines how joyful or peaceful each and every day will be.
Look again at Psalm 34, verse 13 & 14, “Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”
Think about it! Your words set the tone of how each day will go. You choose your words and your choice determines whether you will respond in fear, anger, or frustration. Your choice of words determines if you will fight against the enemy’s lies rather than against someone you love, and who loves you. And you choose whether your words will be negative or complaining instead of thankful and positive.
Peace is a choice. Every day. Sometimes ever hour. Sometimes minute by minute. To be a winner in the spiritual battle against the enemy’s forces of evil you must learn to walk in the way of peace.
Remember I told you earlier we ‘fought the good fight of faith’ for our lives and for James’ soul? Let me describe that battle for you in more detail.
After James spoke to the demonic voice that was demanding he get his gun and kill us, he tried to protect himself, and us. He grabbed the .45, took it apart and deliberately sprayed so much WD-40 into the barrel that even if he was forced to put it back together and tried to fire it the gun would explode in his hands. He broke down the rifle and did the same thing, then he jumped into bed, pulled the covers over his head so he could not see his enemy, and fell almost instantly into a fitful sleep. All through the remainder of that awful night he dreamed of running to our room, pounding on our door and screaming for help. He wanted to be free from the evil that he had invited to control his life.
The next day as he told us what he had experienced he had NO doubt about the reality of the evil he had encountered. The dreams and/or visions left him exhausted, but as night came he was terrified of going to sleep in case the voice materialized again and forced him, somehow, to complete his grisly assignment.
Dick said, “Go to bed and rest. Nothing will harm you or disturb your sleep. I will stand guard.”
We prayed with him for a good night’s rest and protection from the enemy. He went to bed and very quickly was sound asleep.
Dick and I took our Bibles into the family room and sat down to pray. We looked at each other in awe, then slowly and prayerfully Dick began to recite the twenty-third Psalm….
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want (say it with me, won’t you?)
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell[a] in the house of the LORD
Forever.
As we finished, the peace of Christ settled down over us. It was about ten o’clock.
We quietly watched and prayed through the night. We knew God’s warriors were in battle for our lives.
About 1:30 I fell asleep on the floor. About 4:00 Dick woke me. “It’s Okay! We can go to bed now. It’s over.”
The next morning James gave his life to Christ.
The battle is NOT yours but God’s.
Be aware of His warriors. Be aware of the power of His Word and CHOOSE to seek His peace and pursue it! Give him all your cares and worries. YOUR GOD REIGNS!
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”
The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord.
Lamentations 3:22-26 (NLT)
THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU; THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON YOU, AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU; THE LORD LIFT HIS CONENANCE UPON YOU AND GIVE YOU PEACE!
March 25th, 2010
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:10-15 NLT
Paul wrote to the Colossian church members of a transformed walk. The words of 3:15 can be translated “let the peace of Christ be umpire” or “have the final ruling in your heart.” To the church at Corinth he said, in the middle of a discourse on marriage, “For God has called us to peace.” 1 Corinthians 7:15
The recipients of the Roman letter were, among other things, embroiled in controversy over which foods were lawful for those newly converted to eat. The Apostle Paul told them, “The Kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and mutual up building.” In the same letter, regarding the rules governing the use of spiritual gifts he wrote, “God is not a god of confusion, but of peace.” Romans 14:17, 33
I could go on and on, following the theme of God’s peace, but you have Bibles with concordances and cross references, too. You can study this idea out thoroughly for yourselves.
Just be aware of what we’ve read here – in the face of FEAR, FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, FIGHTS and FRUSTRATIONS – we are told to seek PEACE. We are to pursue PEACE, and leave the battles to GOD!
So dear friends, that means every time the messengers of hell start talking about the same old battles you’ve been fighting since shortly after you became a Christian, you are to seek peace. Pursue peace. Chase it down and hold on to it, no matter how hard the battle seems or how things around you look.
Read Psalm 34 NIV with me, please:
1 I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him
In my life, and in my son’s life, and in the lives of many others we’ve met this seeking of peace and holding on tight was NOT as simple as you might think. First we needed to learn what PEACE means!
I had never personally experienced peace before Christ became my Commander-in-Chief. And I know, up until this trip to California to kill us, James had no idea what peace meant. I’m afraid it is a sad but true statement that many people in this day and time have no concrete notion of what PEACE really feels like. I honestly think it feels differently for every individual. For some, it is found deep in a quiet forest, for others at the edge of the sea. For some, peace is snuggled safe and warm at home wrapped up in a favorite chair in front of a toasty fire.
Think about it. What does absolute PEACE feel like for you?
For me it is a deep warm glow, sort of like being way down inside of a beautiful amethyst stone – secure and comfortable and purple! God says Peace is not an emotion. Pease is a condition of the soul developed as you renew and transform your mind your will and your emotions to Christ. Seek that condition. Pursue it. Keep it. Think about it. Own it!
Entering into spiritual warfare and winning spiritual battles means that you know how to keep yourself shielded with the Peace of God at all times.
March 24th, 2010
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 NIV
In order to be a winner in battles against the enemy’s forces it is necessary to give your heart and mind to God. St. Paul talks about renewing your mind in Romans 12:2. Let me tell you what that really means. Forget everything you think you know about the Bible. Ask God to renew your heart and your mind by the power of the Holy Spirit. Find a Bible you can understand and read the scriptures again. Start with the first letter of John – 1 John – it is God’s love letter to believers. Next read the Gospels starting with John, then Mark, Luke and Matthew (in that order). After that, read the letters to the New Testament churches. Read as if you’ve never seen them before. Treat them as if they are true. Alive. Active. As if they are the Words of God…telling you how to fight. Telling you how to WIN!
Ask God to give you the mind of Christ, to enable you to truly understand his Word. Matthew recorded Jesus teaching his followers that unless they understood the words of the Kingdom the enemy would come and snatch away the truth and they would loose the battle. Matthew 13:18-2
As you read, remember what these books of the New Testament really are…they are eyewitness accounts of earth shattering, history making events. If you’ve ever wondered why it took 60 or 70 years for these books and letters to appear, and so doubted their authenticity, remember this. For the first 60 or 70 years after the resurrection there were many eyewitnesses to what Jesus did in His lifetime. So, if anyone heard about Him and doubted what they heard, someone who saw it could say, “oh yes, I was there when He fed the five thousand from a couple of loaves of bread and a few fish. I saw it with my own eyes. I tasted the bread and the fish.” But after awhile all the eye witnesses began to die off. That’s when God the Father, by God the Holy Spirit, put it into the hearts of the apostles of God the Son’s to write down their memories for us.
In order to WIN in this life, you must renew your mind to who and what Christ is really all about. Then you must make Christ the Commander in Chief of your life! That was the reason for His coming!
In Luke’s Gospel we find the song of Zechariah, father of John the Baptist. In chapter 1, speaking by the Holy Spirit Zechariah told of Christ’s purpose and of God’s calling on the life of his son John.
Zechariah’s Song
67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come and has redeemed his people.
69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
72to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Angels announced Christ’s birth and his purpose in Luke chapter 2, verses 8-14.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
And Christ Himself, speaking to his beloved disciples, in the upper room, confirmed His purpose. Turn to John’s Gospel, chapter 14, verse 27.
The Gift of His Peace
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.
29 “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.
Here lies the order directly from our Commander-in-Chief: Walk in my peace. Don’t allow your soul, your mind, your will, or your emotions to be troubled. Don’t let them be afraid either.
Oh! You didn’t understand Jesus words were a command? Somehow that doesn’t surprise me! Maybe the true meaning has been snatched away, by some strange co-incidence!
“Okay,” you’re going to say, “so peace is a command. What am I supposed to do about it?”
Well…in Psalm 119:165 the Word says…”Great peace have those who love Your law,
And nothing causes them to stumble.”
God’s law is God’s Word. LOVE IT! Learn it! LIVE IT! And nothing can cause you to stumble.
Isaiah wrote “God keeps us in PERFECT PEACE if our mind is fixed on Him because we trust Him. Isaiah 26:3
St. Paul wrote to the church at Phillipi: “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9
March 23rd, 2010
I’ve been writing another story this week… But, I am determined to finish this study of ‘the week that changed the world’ I’ve learned soooo much. And soooo much has happened. But what’s been happening is for another post. As for what I’ve learned…
Christian tradition says Christ spent Friday on a cross, juxtaposed between two thieves, completing God’s plan for reconciling his fallen creation (man) to himself. Hollywood and the History Channel take great pleasure in depicting the horror of the crucifixion of Christ. With the special effects possible in today’s world of technology it’s not difficult to produce the blood soaked images. And you can see them all. At any time. Right in your living room! During Holy week we watched video documentary after documentary. Some on Christian TV, some on the History Channel, and even one during the Good Friday communion service at church. We watched as they drove the nails into his wrists. We watched as a replica of a Roman cat of nine-tails was graphically demonstrated flogging a “life-like” silicon dummy. We saw the shredded skin. We saw the crown of thorns. The producers seemed to be screaming, “Look! Look! Look, what was done to this man who claimed to be the Son of God!” He died an unspeakable death. And, with the exception of Christian films, that’s where they left it.
Yes, crucifixion was a horrible way to die! It was practiced for centuries as a form of capital punishment. It was considered the ultimate public humiliation and torture. Because of the position of the feet, nailed to the cross with slightly bent knees, it was possible a body might hang in limbo for days. By straightening the knees and drawing a deep breath into the lungs, death by suffocation that would normally come within hours, could be put off for days if the criminal was strong and determined.
The Romans flogged their prisoners using no more than thirty-nine lashes. Through trial and error the determined thirty-nine lashes was the maximum number a human being could endure and still live. The crown of thorns placed on Jesus was made using a plant with pliable stems that could be twisted into a circle. Euphorbia Millii bears thorns that are from one to two inches long, thorns sharp as nails and toxic.
Google it! any of it! Yes the facts are available. Jesus Christ was tortured, humiliated and killed by the religious leaders of the time. And, if you’d care to watch it happen in graphic, brutal detail, Hollywood can help you out.
I have a beloved friend, who detests religion and everything it stands for. To quote her, “I have read the bible. I have discussed it with experts! I don’t believe it. Any of it. I believe that when I die I will get six feet of dirt in my face, and that will be the end of life. Besides, why would I want to spend an eternity rubbing elbows with a bunch of people I can barely tolerate for a few hours now?”
I wonder if Hollywood and the History Channel enjoy slamming their bloody, violent, depictions of Christ’s death down the throats of people like my friend? I wonder if they understand that by showing all the gore and leaving the story unfinished someone that believes as she does is even more put off by the whole thing? Truthfully, I expect the goal of the main stream media is to discredit the Biblical account and leave anyone watching their productions sickened by the brutality – with more questions than answers. That’s probably because I tend to believe today’s main stream media is dominated by un-Godly producers who only choose the topic for the gore. And the profit!
The brutal death of Christ on a Roman cross gave rise to the centuries old title “Black Friday” – a title that would continued for centuries – a title used by ‘the church’ to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus. Only after the Bible was translated from Greek to English in about 1490 was the term “Good” Friday introduced into the culture. So….what’s good about the brutal and humiliating torture of another Roman prisoner? History records thousands were crucified for minor infractions of Roman rules. What makes this one better than any other? What makes this death on a cross good? Non-Christians (like my atheistic friend) are still asking that 2000 year old question today.
To find to an answer we need to skip over the morning of Good Friday, and look closely at the afternoon. Matthew 27:45-50, Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23: 44-49, John 19:28-37
Jesus has been hanging on the cross since about nine in the morning. He’s barely alive. Close to noon the sky begins to darken. By this time most of the crowd who followed as he made his way along the Via Dolorosa (the road of suffering) had dispersed. A few of his followers and a few Roman soldiers were still standing at the foot of the hill looking up at three crosses silhouetted against the roiling clouds…watching…waiting. The sky is getting darker and darker. Luke writes “the sun’s light failed.” This is more than just a few storm clouds folks! Matthew and Mark both speak of a “darkness over the whole land.” The light of the world went out here!
God turned off the lights and all of creation was in darkness for the final three hours of Jesus’ life. It had to be dark. And not only were the lights off in the created realm, the spiritual realm was in total darkness as well. God could not bear to look upon the this death ordained to heal and restore mankind to himself. Neither could he allow heaven or hell to look upon his death. This all man, all God, Son of God who cried out, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” understood in that moment, God (the Heavenly Father) had turned away, turned off the lights, and for a moment in eternity, closed his eyes.
All of heaven and all of hell had been watching and waiting for Jesus to either save himself, thus proving once and for all his Godly parentage, or simply give up and die. Only the Father and the Son understood completely what was required to finish the work of the cross.
So…while his body, hardly recognizable as human any longer, hung on the cross, alone in the darkness, on that Friday afternoon, Jesus carried the sins, sickness, disease, and misery of mankind into the presence of God the Father. His spirit entered the Holy of Holies, and announced, “It is finished!” God the Father opened his eyes, turned his face toward God the Son, and the lights came back on. At that exact moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Split forever was the dividing wall between God and mankind. From that exact moment forward, we – you and I – could walk boldly into God’s presence and say, “I come before you in Jesus holy name, can you help me out here?”
Then Jesus, the man, cried out from the cross, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” and he breathed his last breath as a man.
Now when a Roman centurion, standing at the foot of the hill, saw what had taken place, he praised God, and said, “Certainly this man was innocent! Truly this man was the Son of God!” The lightening flashed across the sky, the earth shook and the rocks were split. Matthew, the tax gatherer (he was the disciple with the analytical mind, remember?) saw the tombs opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep coming out of them. Wonder why Hollywood missed the opportunity to portray that one with all their special effects lights and magic? Zombies have always been a Hollywood B movie favorite!
Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to break their legs and that the bodies be taken away. Those Jewish leaders wanted to make absolutely sure Jesus was dead, and buried…that they were finished with him once and for all. If they only knew!
Afterward, a rich disciple of Christ’s, Joseph of Arimathea, asked Pilate for permission to take away his body.
At that point Pilate could have cared less. I can see him in my imagination waving them away, brushing them off with a bored gesture. “Take him. Get him out of my sight. What a day this has been….I’m going to retire to my palace…eat, drink and be merry. I’m sick of all this drama!”
So His followers took the body of Jesus, prepared it for burial, probably wondering, “What next?” and placed it in the garden in Joseph’s new tomb and closed it up, rolling a huge rock across the entrance. They went away thinking this new movement they had been a part of was over and they would get up on Saturday to face another day of ‘business as usual’ without hope and without him, they went to their homes thinking….”It’s all over.”
The Jewish religious leaders placed guards at the entrance to the tomb so the followers of Christ could not come and take his body away. They thought they had covered all the bases. The “king of the Jews” was dead. The tomb was guarded by Rome’s finest. At last they could rest easy.
They, too, thought it was the end for the followers of Christ.
It was only the beginning!
March 21st, 2010
2 Chronicles 20:12-25 (New Living Translation)
12 O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”
13 As all the men of Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, wives, and children, 14 the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.
15 He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”
18 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.
20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:
“Give thanks to the Lord;
his faithful love endures forever!”
22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. 23 The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other. 24 So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.
25 King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing, and other valuables—more than they could carry. There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all!
How may of you have read this before? How many of you understand it applies to your life – here – now – today? And that it means exactly what it says?
The battles you are fighting are not YOURS. The battle is God’s. He intends to fight your battles for you. Your job is to seek the way of peace and pursue it.
Don’t get me wrong – the enemy forces are out there. They’re real. And, you need to know they want you dead – spiritually and physically – eternally. Don’t be one of those Christians who thinks just because they’re saved the enemy won’t bother them. That’s stupid! What do you think would have happened to any soldier who walked out into the middle of enemy occupied territory, in let’s say Viet Nam, wearing his uniform and carrying the US flag, and thinking because the Viet Cong could tell which side he was on, he would be safe? The same principle applies to your spiritual safety.
Christians need to open their eyes to God’s warriors. In 2 Kings, chapter 6, verses 13 –16 we read:
“Go and find out where he is,” the king commanded, “so I can send troops to seize him.” And the report came back: “Elisha is at Dothan.” So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.
When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha.
“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.
Make your prayer something like the prophet’s, “Lord keep me ever mindful of your warriors. Help me to remember all the angels are spirits who serve God and are sent to help those who will receive salvation. Hebrews 1:14 Help me to remember what this means to me personally.
If I had the time today, I could tell you about at least three incidents in the last ten years when God’s angels intervened to keep us from disaster. Once Dick nearly drown. We believe an angel materialized to save his life! Because of the circumstances surrounding the incident – nothing else makes any sense. No human being would have been able to accomplish the rescue in exactly the same way.
Trust me when I tell you…the battle is NOT yours. The battle, the spiritual battle, belongs to God.
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