There I Was

There I was, lying in an open field, surrounded by the freshly cut hay. I could feel the rough grass under my bare legs and the itch of dozons of insects crawling across my body. 

One question immediately came to mind; “How did I get here?”. 

I was fatigued and injured, unable to continue on my own. Although I couldn’t process the full reality of the situation and all of the decisions that led me to this moment, one thing was clear to me; I was dying. 

As I came in and out of consciousness, the scorching heat of the sun and the thick humidity of the day drained any energy that I had remaining. I attempted to roll over with no success. I fought to cry for help but nothing came out. 

So, in a brief moment of clarity I considered again; “How did I get here?”

I managed to open my eyes and caught a glimpse at the afternoon sky. Through a painful squint I saw death hovering above, waiting in anticipation for me to draw my final breath. 

As vultures circled above my limp, lifeless body. I was taken to a different vantage point. Experiencing an out of body moment, I watched as the vultures circled. Faster now, and swooping closer to the ground, they seemed to be in a competition for my flesh. 

My inevitable final breath would be their starter’s pistol. And so I fought all the more for another breath knowing that my next one might be my last one. 

How did my life come to this? How did I get here? 

I awoke from my nightmare, covered in a cold sweat and gasping for air. My eyes tore open and I was certain that I would see the vultures circling above my bed. 

And that question that was now written on my mind and flooded my heart with fear; “How did I get here?”.

Perhaps you can identify. A series of bad choices, a plethora of wrong decisions have landed you in a territory you are not familiar with. 

Maybe you have been here before. You are - physically, emotionally, spiritually - tired, injured, unable to carry on. 

You want to get up but you’re unable. You want to cry out for help but you can’t find the words. 

So now, with the vultures circling above - declaring your death to the world around - you wait to take your final breath. 

But God says to you the very same thing He said to me; “This is not the end.”

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ‭‭(Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

You may feel like you’re all alone in that field right now. You might feel like the next breath you take will be your last. The vultures may be circling over your relationship right now. You may feel like there is no hope for your finances. You might feel like a grim future awaits you.

Today, meditate on the promises of God. He has a plan for your life - a purpose that is to be fulfilled. He knows the plan He has for your life - He has not and will not forget it - He has not and will not forget you. His plan is one that will see you prosper - a plan that will bring you success. His plan is one that will bring hope to your darkest days and a future that you think is impossible. 

I encourage you - right now - to call out to the Lord. It may seem difficult to form the words. It may seem impossible from where you are laying right now. The simplest words are enough. He is waiting to hear you call. “Father God, help me.”

I urge you - right away - to get up. The vultures may be circling but this does not have to be the end. There may be signs of death but God can make all things new. 

There I was, lying in an open field, and I remembered God’s promise; “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

And I called out to the Lord. He met me where I was, helped me up, fought off the vultures of death, and revealed His plan for my life.

Blood and Witness

Satan - evil and death - is eternally defeated through the blood of The Lamb - Jesus Christ - and through the word of our testimony about Jesus Christ.

Our Savior - Jesus Christ - has already done His part, now He is calling you to do yours. 

Let us triumph over Satan - over evil and death - daily through the word of our testimony. 

Your words of witness make a difference - an eternal one. 

Jesus' Crucifixion Account

The account of Jesus' crucifixion is found in Matthew 27:27-61, Mark 15:20-47, Luke 23:26-54, and John 19:16-38. And, although each Gospel gives a full and vivid account of Jesus' crucifixion, when the four Gospel accounts are combined the account is presented in more detail.

Mark 15

²¹ A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene,was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)

Luke 23

²⁶ The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷ A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. ²⁸ But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ ³⁰ People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’ ³¹ For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Mark 15

²² And they [the soldiers] brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 

Luke 23

³² Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. ³³ 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.

Matthew 27

³⁴ The soldiers gave him wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.

John 19

¹⁹ And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” ²⁰ The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it. ²¹ Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’” ²² Pilate replied, “No, what I have written, I have written.”

Matthew 27

³⁹ The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. ⁴⁰ “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!” ⁴¹ The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. ⁴² “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! ⁴³ He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 

Luke 23

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

John 19

²³ they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. ²⁴ So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.” So that is what they did.

Luke 23

³⁹ 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!” ⁴⁰ But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?⁴¹ We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” ⁴³ And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

John 19

²⁵ Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” ²⁷ And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

Mark 15

³³ At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. ³⁴ Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” ³⁵ Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 

Luke 23

44 ^{It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining.} 

Matthew 27

 ⁵¹ At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,⁵² and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. ⁵³ They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.

John 19

²⁸ Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. ³⁰ When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.

Luke 23

 ⁴⁶ Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.

Matthew 27

⁵⁴ The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened.

Mark 15

³⁹ When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

⁴⁰ Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome. ⁴¹ They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem were also there.

John 19

³¹ It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was the Passover). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. ³² So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. ³³ But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. ³⁴ One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. ³⁵ (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe.) ³⁶ These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” ³⁷ and “They will look on the one they pierced.”

Mark 15

⁴² This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation,^[i^] the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea [who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders)] took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.)⁴⁴ Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet. ⁴⁵ The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. ⁴⁶ Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb [his own new tomb] that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. ⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.

Life After Birth

A friend sent this my direction this morning. I thought it was worth sharing:

In a mother’s womb were two babies.  One asked the other, “do you believe in life after delivery?”

The  other replies “ Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what will be later.”

“ Nonsense,” says the other.  “There is no life after delivery. What would that life be”? I don’t know, but there will be more light than here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths.”

The other says, “This is absurd! Walking is impossible. And eat with our mouths? Ridiculous. The umbilical cord supplies nutrition.  Life after deliver is to be excluded.  The umbilical cord is too short.”

“ I think there is something and maybe it’s different than it is here,” the other replies.

“No one has ever come back from there. Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery it is nothing but darkness and anxiety and it takes us nowhere.”

“Well, I don’t know,” says the other, “but certainly we’ll see mother and she will take care of us.”

Mother?? You believe in Mother? Where is she now?”

“She is all around us. It is in her that we live. Without her, there would not be this world.”

“I don’t see her, so it’s only logical that she doesn’t exist.”

To which the other replies, “Sometimes when you’re in silence, you can hear her. You can perceive her. I believe there is a reality after delivery and we are here too prepare ourselves for that reality.”

Causing The Holy Spirit To Sin

I was awoken yesterday morning - very early in the morning - with a thought about what it means to "sin against" the Holy Spirit. The same thought came to me early this morning, so I thought I better write it down. 

When we know The Truth given to us in God's Word - the difference between right and wrong, obedience and sin, good and evil - and when we have committed ourselves to Jesus - to follow His ways and allow Him to be our Lord - we are filled with His Spirit - The Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 6:16-18).

Likewise, God cannot remain in fellowship with us if we choose to sin (1 John 1:5-7). Therefore, as those who have accepted Jesus and as temples of The Holy Spirit, when we choose to sin we are actually bringing The Holy Spirit of God with us in our sinfulness and evil. 

We are attempting to cause The Holy Spirit of God to sin! We are sinning against The Holy Spirit and there is a serious discipline - punishment - for this.

The Apostle Paul writes it this way in Hebrews 10:26-27; If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

So, as a temple of The Most High God - those who have the knowledge of The Truth and have committed our ways to Jesus and have called Him our Lord - let us continue to follow His commands for our lives. Let us be committed and faithful to Him today and always!

Do You Want To See Jesus?

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (Matthew 28:1-10)

These women were given an opportunity - essentially a question. Then it was posed to the disciples –  the followers of Jesus; "Do you want to see Jesus?"

Now, two thousand years later, that same question is asked of us, each and every one of us; "Do you want to see Jesus?"

Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (Matthew 28:10)

So, Mary and Mary, they run – they sprint – I’m sure they moved faster than they had ever moved before. Busting into the upper room they see the disciples – the friends of Jesus and they tell them what has just happened

·        The earthquake

·        The stone rolling away

·        The angel of the Lord

·        The report – “He’s not here”

·        The empty tomb

·        And then…Jesus

Nonsense, these women are crazy. But who can blame them, it’s been a stressful few days, perhaps it’s simply wishful thinking. 

And then the question; "Do you want to see Jesus?"

See, this question struck these men. This was not just a person they hoped to see again, this was God’s Son, sent to the world to teach, heal, and redeem, this was a man, who had been crucified three days before, this was their friend that they had buried in a sealed tomb, this was Jesus Christ – their master and Savior.

Do we want to see Jesus? OF COURSE WE WANT TO SEE JESUS!

Do you remember when you first saw Jesus? Do you remember the moment that you first saw Him as your Savior? The One that has paid the price for your sin? Do you remember the moment that you first saw Him as your Lord? The One that will lead you to life of joy and peace?

Maybe you have never been introduced to Him. Maybe you don’t know Jesus, or maybe you have lost sight of Him as your hope, your peace, your joy, your comforter, your salvation, your everything.

See, Jesus is life – and He gives us a reason to live.  But more than this, He gives us the ability to live, to truly live a life of purpose and excitement.

Do you want to see Jesus?

This isn’t simply hearing about Jesus! This isn’t Jesus through the filter of another person! This isn’t Jesus as the world perceives Him! This isn’t Jesus as culture presents Him! Do you want to see Jesus for who He truly is?

·        Our Hope when the world seems hopeless

·        Our Peace when we are stressed and burdened

·        Our Joy when the world steals our joy

·        Our Comforter when people break our heart

·        Our Savior when we need to be rescued

Do you want to see Jesus?

Not only does Jesus want to show Himself to you. Jesus wants you to know that you can live. Because Jesus lives, you will also live. 

O Lord, who else or what else can I desire but You

The following is from A Cry for Mercy by Henri J.M. Nouwen. 

O Lord, who else or what else can I desire but you? You are my Lord, Lord of my heart, mind, and soul. You know me through and through. In and through you everything that is finds its origin and goal. You embrace all that exists and care for it with divine love and compassion. Why, then, do I keep expecting happiness and satisfaction outside of you? Why do I keep relating to you as one of my many relationships, instead of my only relationship, in which all other ones are grounded? Why do I keep looking for popularity, respect from others, success, acclaim, and sensual pleasures? Why, Lord, is it so hard for me to make you the only one? Why do I keep hesitating to surrender myself totally to you?

Help me, O Lord, to let my old self die, to let die the thousand big and small ways in which I am still building up my false self and trying to cling to my false desires. Let me be reborn in you and see through you the world in the right way, so that all my actions, words, and thought can become a hymn of praise to you.

I need your loving grace to travel on the hard road that leads to the death of my old self and to a new life in and for you. I know and trust that this is the road to freedom.

Lord, dispel my mistrust and help be become a trusting friend.

Thanking God For Death

I was reading from Genesis chapter 3 this morning, at the end of this chapter God kicks Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden after they disobey and eat from the tree if good and evil, their banishment from the Garden was part of their discipline.

Verses 22 to 24 follow this punishment;

And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

First, it amazes me the God was talking to another being in verse 22. We may assume that God is speaking with Christ or with the Holy Spirit. I can't quite wrap my head around that!

But, what really amazes me is that God still loves and care for mankind - and for us - in this moment where He was the most betrayed and forsaken.

We could certainly understand God's frustration with Adam and Eve, they had ignored and broken the one and only rule that He had given them, they had ruined paradise! Frustration, even anger could be understood at this moment.

But God, in His merciful, compassionate, loving way, disciplines His children, and then patiently takes steps to care for and to protect us from ourselves and from any future harm.

How, you may ask. God protected us by taking away eternal life on this earth and in this current, tainted, sinful world. Thanks to this action we are able to live our lives now in a state of preparation for an eternal future glory with God, our Father. And, we are able to trust - with a hope and an assurance - in perfection waiting for those of us who believe and obey Jesus Christ.

So, the next time you consider death, thank God for it, and consider what is waiting for you on the other side.

A Letter To You

To any and all who would lend me your ear and your heart, I beg you to consider the following story and plea from my heart.

A few months back a member of our church family passed away. As her pastor I had the great honor of speaking at her funeral service and sharing encouragement with her family members and friends. Although her death was sudden and unexpected, and although it brought much sorrow to her loved ones, it was truly a celebration of her life and her reception in heaven with Jesus.

This past week, one of her sons was laid in the same position, in the same room, with much of the same people looking in the same direction, in the same manner, with much of the same tears flowing down their cheeks. Although I had met this gentlemen only one time, I was asked to speak at his funeral service.

There was something much different about this gentleman's funeral service than there was of his mother's just months earlier. This gentleman never professed a faith in Jesus Christ, his family members and his friends did not know where he stood with his maker, no one was able to offer a testimony on his behalf, and no one stood secure on where his soul would spend eternity.

As the funeral service continued, as it concluded, and as the casket was placed over it's final resting place, the uncertainty grew, as did the sorrow, the heartbreak, and the grief. This day we were able to honor his life, we were able to remember the memories made with this man, we were able to reflect on the impact that he has made in the lives of others, yet we were not able to celebrate , and we were not able to rest assured.

Now, I believe that God offers comfort, encouragement, and support in our time of need, I believe that God will strengthen this family in the same way. But, as a sister stood at her brother's casket for more than ten minutes repeating; "I will see you again, you are in heaven now".

"I will see you again, you are in heaven now!"
"I will see you again, you are in heaven now!"
"I will see you again, you are in heaven now!"
"I will see you again, you are in heaven now!"

For ten minutes she continued, over and over she cried, over and over she wailed, over and over she shouted; "I will see you again, you are in heaven now!" This poor woman tried her best to convince herself, tried her best to convince those around her, tried her best to convince God, that her brother was going to make it into heaven. How troubling it must be to see the cold body of a loved one and know that it might be too late.

As I stood beside the casket that day, I could only hope that the second half of that statement was true, hope that he had made a commitment before his life was taken from him, hope that he called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ before his last breath passed from his body. I could only hope, because it was too late for prayers.

And, as I stood beside the casket that day, I could not help but see the faces and think of the names of the individuals close to me that have not yet made a commitment to Jesus. Prayers were offered for you that day - prayers that you will come to know Jesus Christ, prayers that you will come to accept Jesus Christ, prayers that you will come to experience Jesus Christ - because without Him you are lost.

Salvation gained a whole new meaning that day!

So, as I conclude this letter to you, I must ask: "have you accepted Jesus". I don't care how inconvenient it is for you to make it to church, I don't care how boring you find a preacher's sermon, I don't care how many excuses you have for staying away from church people. Simply this, I care about you and I want to make sure that I can celebrate with you some day. Maybe I won't be around to celebrate your life at your funeral service, but I will be around to celebrate your life for all of eternity.

I love you and I want the best for you.

Glee/What People Need

 

This past Tuesday the show "Glee" was on and although I do not normally watch it, the storyline this week was that of religion and spirituality. So, not only did I stay in the room and on the channel, I actually paid attention (something I do not always do).

  

In this episode, one of the characters makes a grilled cheese sandwich and when he opens the grill sees what he believes to be an image of Jesus. He then deems this "grilled cheesus". He proceeds to pray to the sandwich, asking it for various signs and confirmations of control. Although this opening made me skeptical that this was yet another television show that was trying to bash the name and the image of Christ, I stuck around and gave Glee more of a chance this week.

The most basic issue I had with this portion of the episode was that it was as if someone with no understanding whatsoever was attempting to explain Jesus Christ, Christianity, and everything about faith, prayer, belief, etc. As one fellow blogger wrote "I suppose it would be like me, an Asian American, writing about what it’s like to be black; I can research and I can see the cultural or societal view of being black, but it would be quite amazing if I could write about the true experience."

These words explained where the writers of this show were coming from, because a basic level of research had been done, a cultural or social view had been considered, and then off to the writing boards they went. Yet how can I say this? I do not know if the writers, the producers, or the actors of the show Glee are born-again Christians or if they make claim to any faith at all.

Yet this same basic approach is made by so-called Christians everyday, those that claim to follow Christ and have a faith in Him. So many are not truly experiencing the saving grace, the fellowship, and the presence of Jesus Christ and His Spirit within their lives. Yet they are "Christians".

We are told in Matthew 7 not to judge, and for this reason we leave this alone. Who are we to judge those around us that claim the name of Jesus and yet do not have the depth of understanding, the depth of relationship, or the depth of desire to truly know Him? We so easily forget that we are to hold one another accountable, that we are to "consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24 ), that we are to "encourage one another and build each other up"  (1 Thess. 5:11), and that, if we are truly a part of the body of Christ, we are all a part of the same body (1 Cor. 12).

Back to Glee, as the program went on various situations played into the storyline, "church and state", "religion in school", "homosexuality", "death", "the afterlife", "family", and several more. The basic conclusion to the episode was that, we all need to have faith in something, we all need to believe in something. I can definitely get behind this on the most basic level. I don't see how anyone can live in the world and honestly believe that there in no "higher power", that there is no God. Further, I don't see why anyone would continue to live if they honestly believe that there is no God and no hope after they pass away from this world.

We all need to have faith in something. True! Yet the issue in our world today is that so many have a faith in something, and that something is anything. What people NEED in our world today is a faith in The Living God, The God that does not change, The God that created, loves, and sustains everything. What people NEED in our world today is a lasting relationship with The God that offers forgiveness for yesterday, joy for today, and confidence for tomorrow. What people NEED in our world today is God!