God, Help Me Make Sense of It All

"When I hear my friends say they hope their children don't have to experience the hardships they went through--I don't agree. Those hardships made us what we are. You can be disadvantaged in many ways; and one way may be not having had to struggle."   -William M. Batten, Fortune.

Today, I'd like to talk about those times when we need to make that leap of faith. Those times when doubts arise, nothing makes any sense, and our faith seems weak as water. One thing that the Bible and history teaches us, is that many people, if not all people, have struggled at times with this issue of doubt and faith.

Over the years, many great Christians have often felt distress over the impenetrable; the anguish of a faith that scrapes rock bottom. In other words, the torment of having doubts regarding God. Also, that’s an area the church hasn't always been kind to, and yet it’s an area that hits us all at different times of life.

Martin Luther battled constantly against doubt and depression. He once wrote, “For more than a week, Christ was wholly lost to me. I was shaken by desperation and blasphemy against God.” St. Augustine the North African Scholar in the 4th century who is seen as one of the great minds of the faith, in his confessions said “I wish I could be made just as certain of things I cannot see as I am certain that 7 +3 make 10.”

Yet he never found that certainty. He contended with the same issues that plague us today; that is believing in the invisible and dealing with a nagging area of distrust, or doubt. A church in Boston refused to allow Dwight L. Moody to join because they said his beliefs seemed so uncertain. We can undoubtedly see it throughout the pages of the Bible. Adam, Sarah, Jacob, Job, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Jonah, Thomas, Martha, Peter… people who question, falter, doubt and yet in the end remain faithful.

I think for many of them (and for many of us) the struggle is summed up by the words of a father in Mark 9:23-24 who has a sick son, and he says to Jesus, do something if you can, and Jesus says “what do you mean “If you can.” He goes on to say everything is possible to him who believes.” And immediately the boy's father exclaimed, I do believe; help me to overcome my unbelief.”

I understand how this man must have felt. We have all been there at one time or another. God we do believe, but it doesn't mean we don’t struggle at times. God help us with our unbelief! Here are some points the Bible brings out regarding faith...

1. A lack of faith, and the opposite of that, great faith, is found in a variety of people. It’s ironic that in the Scripture, we almost see a reversal of what you would expect in who possessed great faith in God. Often those that should have much faith, had very little, while those that had little reason to have faith, somehow came up with it and wonders resulted (Matthew 8:8-10).

2. Doubt often leads to discovery. Questions and even doubts will often lead us to greater faith. We often look back on difficult times with a fond remembrance because we realize we grew the most there. I think faith is very similar. Maybe we'll look back on our life and realize that it was only after a time of question, or doubt that we grew in faith and understanding. It motivated us to search and explore and pray and read. And we came away with an even greater faith.

3. It's the nature of life that there are things we cannot know. And while doubt leads to discovery, sometimes that discovery is simply the realization that this an area that has been roped off by God. An area we cannot and will not know in this lifetime (Deuteronomy 29:29).

4. How do I deal with my doubts? Explore them! In the Bible, in books such as Job, Habakkuk, and Ecclesiastes, we see that God openly embraces those with honest doubts that are seeking answers. And what we find is that when we explore them, we sometimes find answers that we're not comfortable with. Sometimes we’re confronted with things we didn't want to think about in the first place. It’s easier for us just to blame God, or question God, and leave it at that. Exploring our doubts will at times reveal the truth of responsibility.

Look, from time to time, exploring our doubts brings us to conclusions we aren't comfortable with. For many, they are content to just doubt and leave it at that. I do think, however, we have a responsibility to explore those doubts. Why? Because we have to learn to trust God even in those times when it doesn't make sense!

Yes, you may not understand, and there may be much that is hard to believe. But trust in what you do believe. Trust in God and be persistent. We are a time-bound humans, living in rebellious world, and because of that, we cannot possibly think that we will ever figure it all out. Certainly, there will be things you and I don’t know, but we need to understand that.

Finally, there will always be things we do not know. And we could spend our days consumed with the issues of Why? The issues of the unknown. And yet, there are so many things we do know and we need to endure.

An example of this is seen in the disciples following the resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 28:16-17). They doubted but they were still there worshipping. Pray to God to help you with your doubts; and to accept the things you can't know, but continue with what you do know.

Remember, in times of struggle. In times of a faltering faith, persevere, and often you’ll come out the other side with renewed faith, renewed hope, and renewed devotion.

Scripture: 1 John 4:4; Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 14:1; Hebrews 11:1; Acts 27:25; James 1:2; Philippians 4:13   

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for the life you have given me, even with all the challenges for I know each one brings me closer to you. Amen

May your day be blessed!

Bonnie

Sin: The Great Destroyer of Lives

Regardless of the sport, no athlete can expect to win without the proper equipment. Paul wrote to Timothy that Scripture was given by God to man that we might be "thoroughly equipped for every good work." How, exactly, does Scripture equip the believer? It teaches us doctrine, it reproves (disciplines) us, it corrects our path, and it instructs us in righteous living. Plus, it gives us our uniform for "offense" (putting on Christ; Romans 13:14) and "defense" (spiritual armor; Ephesians 6:11-18).

In addition, we are given our daily practice gear: service, Bible study, fruit of the Spirit, prayer, and obedience. If that sounds like a lot of equipment, consider the stakes: The spiritual life is a winner-take-all contest.  (Turning Point Daily Devotional, 4-20-08)

"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."  (Hebrews 10:26-27)

The truth of the matter is, that sin in and by its own nature and operations, tends to destroy all righteous force, and all holy energy in any moral individual. Augustine said: “Sin is believing the lie that you are self-created, self-dependent, and self-sustained.”

How seriously do we take the problem of sin? Do we really appreciate the freedom from sin? The freedom that we can experience now in our lives? Or, that we can look forward to in the future? In Romans 8, Paul writes about the freedom from sin that one finds in Christ. I'd like to examine this a little more closely in today's message.

To appreciate more fully the blessings we have in Christ, consider that there is freedom from the condemnation of sin (Romans 8:1-4). What does this mean for the guilt of sin? As far as condemnation of sin goes, this means that everyone is guilty of sin (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8). Yes, that 's correct! Even if you've only ever committed just one sin in your whole life (which is impossible!) -James 2:10-11.

Keep in mind that unforgiven sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). And, that the ultimate condemnation is death (Romans 6:23; cf. Revelation 21:8)! Fortunately for us, there is freedom. There is freedom from condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1; cf. Galatians 3:27). How is this so? Because in Christ there is propitiation, redemption, and justification (Romans 3:24-26).

There is freedom from condemnation for those who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1,4). This is made possible by the law (principle) of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2), which sets us free from the law of sin and death (cf. Titus 3:4-7). This is the law of sin and death which enslaves or binds everyone, mentioned in Romans 7:21-25.

Fortunately for us, the death of Christ (Romans 8:3-4), accomplished what the Law of Moses couldn't do. It condemned sin in the flesh by fulfilling the righteous requirement of the Law for us. Therefore, the freedom from sin that we enjoy in Christ involves freedom from the condemnation of sin.

Unless we receive the freedom from sin found only in Christ, we remain guilty of sin, enslaved to sin, and under the toxic influences of sin. But by responding to the gospel of Christ with an obedient faith, freedom from the devastating effects of sin can be ours, with a hope of glorious liberty when Christ returns!

Scripture: 1 John 1:9; Romans 6:23; 2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 21:8; Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Peter 2:4; Romans 5:12

Prayer: Holy Father, please be with me as I go through this day. Help me to be strong, and and give me the wisdom to handle each situation. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Trish

That's the Truth! - "One Is the Loneliest Number"

“The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.”  -Mother Teresa

Happy Monday to you, and welcome to "That's the Truth!" Some time ago, I was given the challenge to present a "lean and mean" Bible study that could be easily followed without too many complications! I thought long and hard about this, but finally accepted. So, without taking up any more of your time, here's the first, of what I hope will be many more studies. May you find them useful to help you grow in faith, knowledge, and God's love!

Topic: God Created the Best Partner - (Genesis 2:15-25)

Opening Prayer: God, you have made the heavens and the earth. You have revealed your beauty in creation and inspired the book that we are now about to study. Please help us now as we read together. Take us deeper into understanding more about you and your love for us. Amen.

 “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18-KJV).

 “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner’” (Genesis 2:18-NRSV).

When God made humankind, God gave people many abilities similar to His own, and then God helped them develop those abilities. God gave people the ability to reason, feel, and make choices. God also gave humankind responsibilities over the earth. As Adam’s parent and teacher, God knew his needs and took steps to meet those needs before he recognized them. God did not want him to live alone without someone of his kind, so God made woman as his helper and partner.

As his teacher, God showed Adam that an animal would not make a perfect partner for him. Though God had created the animals before He created man, God sculpted cattle and other animals from the ground in the Garden of Eden, gave them life, and brought them to Adam so he could use his God-given abilities of imagination and reason to name them. God helped Adam discover that no matter how magnificent and varied the animals were, they were not humankind and they could not be his best partner.

Then, God sculpted a woman from the ground, gave her life, and brought her to man. We can almost hear the thrill and note of thankfulness to God in Adam’s voice when he sees woman for the first time and proclaims, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken” (Genesis 2:23). The Bible further explains, “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).

Quick Study:

1. If Adam could talk to God and have God’s help, why do you think Adam was alone (even though Adam did not feel the pain of loneliness) and needed a helper and partner?

 2. Why do you think God first brought animals to Adam before God brought a woman to Adam?

 3. Why do you think God wanted Adam to name all of the animals and birds rather than just name them Himself and tell Adam their names?

 4. Do you think God allowed Adam to stay asleep when God created the woman from Adam’s rib, or do you think God woke Adam so Adam could watch God create the woman from Adam’s rib?

 5. What kind of clothing did God give the animals, the birds, and Adam and Eve when God created them? How did they feel about the clothes they wore?

Closing Prayer: Father, thank you that you have revealed Your love to us today. We invite You to send us out today in the power of the Holy Spirit. Fan into flame the gifts that you have given us, Come reveal Your grace and truth to us each day. For Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, Forever and ever. Amen.

-a very special thank you to L.G. Parkhurst, Jr.

May God bless you! 

Riley

Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: Your Life (God's Instructions Are Included!)

“There are no 'if's' in God's world. And no places that are safer than other places. The center of His will is our only safety - let us pray that we may always know it!”   -Corrie ten Boom

Almost everyone can think of a time in their life where they didn't follow the instructions, or they didn't follow directions, and things went totally wrong. I know I have! I mean, it's pretty obvious. If you want things to be right, if you want to be able to do things right, you must follow the instructions. You must follow the directions!

Allow me to lay it all out on the table for you. If we want to enjoy this life, then we must follow the directions that God has given, and will give us. Plain and simple. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "it's easier said than done!" Well, first off, I didn't say anything about this being an easy thing to do. Sure, some are going to struggle with this; just thumb through your Bible! If it makes you feel any better, even people who were much stronger in faith than you and I struggled with this.

Do you remember Joshua? After the death of Moses, God called on Joshua to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River and take possession of the promised land. Joshua just received instructions from the Lord. He received specific instructions from the Lord on how to defeat the city of Jericho (Joshua 6:2-5). Look, the Lord was going to do all the work! All Israel needed to do was obey.

All through the Bible we see where the Lord gave specific, detailed instructions to his people. For example, Moses and Abraham, to name just a few. Have you ever browsed through an instruction book and tried to look at only the highlights? Or how about this, have you ever read the last chapter in a book before starting at the beginning?

When God told Abraham to go, he said “Here is step one. You get this step done, and then I will give you the next step.” Did you ever consider that He may do the same thing in our lives today; because we so much want to look at the end of the instructions. But, if we do know the end, then we'll try to take our own logical steps to get the job done. God doesn't work like that. We need to obey Him.

We've been given the Bible, the Word of God, the instruction manual for our lives. And we need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us through the Word of God; to guide us through those instructions. But, God also has specific instructions he wants to give each and every one of us.

When we accept Jesus Christ, when we receive that Gift, God has a plan for our life. When we become Christians, he has specific instructions for our individual lives. He has specific things that he wants us to do, and if we don't do those specific things, then we'll miss out on his blessings. Now, does that mean that we'll never be blessed? No, but we will miss out on something God wants to give us.

So, what do we have to do to receive those directions? What must we do to receive those instructions that we need to live that victorious life that God has for us? In Joshua 5:14, the Bible says that Joshua fell face down to the ground in "reverence." In other words, worship or fall prostrate before the Lord. We need to give our will over to the Lord; to give in to him totally and completely. We must have reverence, and honor for the Lord.

Now look at Joshua 5:15. Take off your sandals. The same command was given by God to Moses at the burning bush. "Remove your sandals for this ground is holy." (Exodus 3:5) What does that mean? Well, this was a custom back in those days, just as it still is the custom in Oriental and Indian societies today. When these people go to a place of worship, or to someone’s house, they remove their shoes, much as we would remove our hats today. They do this out of respect, out of reverence, out of honor.

But, there has to be more to this than just taking our shoes off. Let's dig a little deeper, shall we? Let's say you've been outside doing some gardening. Before you come into your freshly cleaned house, what do you do? That's right! You take off your shoes. When your kids want to come into the house from playing outside, what do you tell them to do? "Take off your shoes!

Can you see what's going on here? When we come in from outside and we are dirty, we remove our shoes. Why? Out of respect? Yes, but respect for what? What are we trying to prevent? You've got it! We don’t want to track our dirt into a clean environment!

The angel told Joshua to remove his sandals because he was on holy ground (Joshua 5:15), God told Moses to remove his sandals because he was on holy ground (Exodus 3:5). God was saying, “ I don’t want your dirt! If you want instructions from me, if you want me to give you direction in your life, then when you come to me, you need to leave your dirt behind. You need to come clean.”

Psalm 66:18 says, “ If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear”  The KJV uses the word iniquity; “if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” Okay, now I can hear some you saying, “well, I thought the only way to get rid of our sins was to bring them to the Lord, and you are saying that we can't come to the Lord if we have sin!”

Please don't misunderstand me. Joshua came to the angel (to the holy ground), Moses came to the Lord, (to the holy ground), with their sandals on; with their dirt still in place, you might say. But, they were willing to remove the dirt once they got into his presence. They had to remove the dirt before they received their instructions.

Similarly, when we're walking in the world all day long, we get our feet dirty. When we sin time and time again, but we still want to come to the presence of the Lord for our instructions, then we need to be willing to leave that dirt behind once we get there.

What if we have a sin in our lives that we're not willing to give up? Or, maybe we have sin in our lives that we are enjoying so much that we decide we want to continue in that sin? And yet, even with all of this going on we still want instructions from the Lord. I can tell you right now, there's no way it's going to happen!

If you will not let go of your sin; if you will not remove the dirt; if you will not remove your shoes in the presence of the Lord, then you will not grow. And sadly, you will not live the life that God has in store for you.

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11; Proverbs 3:5-6; Isaiah 58:11; Proverbs 3:5; Ephesians 3:20; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Ephesians 2:10

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

May your week be blessed!

Bibi

God Has A Specific Purpose For You!

"We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about."   -Charles Kingsley, Bits & Pieces, December 9, 1993, p. 16.

Who hasn't ever asked themselves, “Why am I here?” For that matter, have you ever wondered about the meaning of life? Or, for what purpose do you exist? What on earth did God put you here for?

It's true, we may not fully understand the reasons God has put us here, but we find our hearts stirred to seek and find that purpose out. Romans 8:28-29 says that God has a purpose for our lives, and that all things work in our lives to further that ultimate purpose.

To have a purpose in life is a guiding and steadying influence. What you are "up to" in life is one way of describing your purpose in life. Another way is to think about what you consider most worthwhile. All of these are the same way of asking, “Why are you living?” “What is your purpose in life?” We simply must have some overall purpose in life.

What is God’s purpose for our lives? That we might, “become conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). That's the reason you and I exist. So that we might look more and more like Jesus. We also exist so that we would be brought into total conformity with the life of Jesus Christ in every aspect of our very lives. And, that we would walk like Jesus, talk like Jesus, and do whatever it is Jesus would do.

Joseph Addison said, "The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." Those elements give us a reason to get up in the morning and to keep pursuing our dreams even when they seem out of reach. We are made to live on purpose.

Ernest Hemingway, the literary genius, said this about his life: "I live in a vacuum that is as lonely as a radio tube when the batteries are dead, and there is no current to plug into."

This is a startling statement, given the fact that Hemingway lived his life in a way that would be the envy of any person who had bought in to the values of our modern society. Hemingway was known for his tough-guy image and globe-rotting pilgrimages to exotic places. He was a big-game hunter, a bull-fighter, a man who could drink others under the table. He was married four times and lived his life seemingly without moral restraint or conscience. But on a sunny Sunday morning in Idaho, he pulverized his head with a shotgun blast.

There was another side to Hemingway's life, one that few people knew about. He grew up in an evangelical Christian home in Oak Park, Illinois. His grandparents were missionaries, and his father was a devoted churchman and friend of evangelist D. L. Moody. Hemingway's family conformed to the strictest codes of Christianity, and as a boy and young man, he was active in his church.

Then came World War I. As a war correspondent, Hemingway saw death and despair all around him. His youthful enthusiasm for Christianity soured, and he eventually rejected the faith in Christ that he once had embraced.

Placing God in the center of all you do is the first step in knowing your purpose. The Bible says that you were created for God and not the other way around (Isaiah 43:21; Ephesians 2:10). God says if you place Him first He will take care of everything else. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be added on to you (Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31).

If you don't get what you want, it's a sign that you didn't seriously want it. It's the same way with the purposes of God. If we're not willing to invest our time and resources, we'll miss it all the time because we're too involved in worrying about what we want. Living without God's plan for our life is like driving a car without an engine, or riding a bike without tires. We go nowhere fast!

God wants us to live vibrant and thriving lives. God has given us this power so that we can do the very works that Jesus Christ did in the Gospels. How does this apply to you? You were designed by God for a specific purpose. Your purpose defines who you are. How badly do you want to reach your potential and fulfill your true purpose in life? Are you hungry for Christ? It will take the passion of commitment on your part to keep growing, learning, and going forward.

Scripture: Psalm 138:8; Romans 12:2; Job 22:21; Philippians 4:13; Psalm 57:2; Colossians 3:23; John 14:6

Prayer: Dear Lord, our time on earth is short. Please help me realize that it is not the amount of time, but the quality of the time I spend that counts. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Alison

God Works In Us by His Grace!

"I do not at all understand the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us."   -Anne Lamott, American novelist and non-fiction writer.

 I think you'd agree with me when I say that grace is a mystery. In fact, after studying the first two chapters of the Book of Ephesians, the mystery of grace has only deepened for me. As I sit here thinking about what I have learned about grace from this book so far, I am totally amazed at God’s great work of grace for His people.

Let me share a few considerations which I've discovered about God’s grace:

• Grace chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world – Ephesians 1:4

• Grace has given us all spiritual blessings through Jesus – Ephesian 1:3

• Grace has determined that we will be like Jesus, and with Jesus, one day – Ephesians 1:5; 11-12

• Grace has made us accepted in Jesus – Ephesians 1:6

• Grace proved the blood of Christ that washed us from our sins – Ephesians 1:7

• Grace reached out to us when we were dead in our sins and headed to Hell – Ephesians 2:1-4

• Grace loved us – Ephesians 2:4

• Grace gave us life – Ephesians 2:5

• Grace has secured our future – Ephesians 2:6-7

• Grace has secured our salvation – Ephesians 2:8-9

These points tell me that, everything we possess as believers is ours through, and by, the grace of God. Furthermore, we earned nothing we have received. We deserved nothing we have received. We purchased nothing we have received. Everything we have in Jesus Christ has been given to us by the free grace of Almighty God.

And, do you know what the added bonus for us is? God has given us the gifts of His grace without asking for a single thing in return! That's right. He doesn't expect us repay Him for grace. While God doesn't expect any return payments from us; He does expect a return on His investment. The work of grace in us results in some very real changes in our lives. These changes allow us to live for God. Our living for Him, according to His will, brings glory to His name, and that is all He wants from us!

When grace comes to a lost, dead sinner, that sinner is born again as a “new creature” in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). The old appetites and ways of living are put aside for a brand new life in Jesus. What God works in us by His grace, will work its way out in our lives. Not only are we saved by His grace; we are changed by that same grace. As the grace of God works itself out in our lives, it manifests itself in us through our works.

Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it very clear that works have no part in our salvation. We're not saved by what we do or by what we produce. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone! But, the proof that God’s grace has worked in us to save us is our works after we are saved. Martin Luther said, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.”

In other words, works do not save us, but we are saved to work. James 2:18 says it this way, “But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” James is reminding us that while faith brings us into God’s salvation (Acts 16:31), our works prove the reality of our profession of faith.

Dear readers, find the path God has laid out for your life and walk in it for His glory! Unquestionably, a legitimate faith will always manifest itself in good works. If works are missing, so is saving faith (James 1:17-26).

Scripture: Acts 6:8; Acts 4:33; Acts 20:32; 2 Timothy 2:1-2; Romans 11:6; John 15:16; John 10:9

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the love you give me. Help me share your love with others, as well. Amen

May God bless you!

Amaris

Grace Sufficient For Every Need and Trial...

"Although out of pure grace God does not impute our sins to us, He nonetheless did not want to do this until complete and ample satisfaction of His law and His righteousness had been made. Since this was impossible for us, God ordained for us, in our place, One who took upon Himself all the punishment we deserve.

He fulfilled the law for us. He averted the judgment of God from us and appeased God's wrath. Grace, therefore, costs us nothing, but it cost Another much to get it for us. Grace was purchased with an incalculable, infinite treasure, the Son of God Himself."   -Martin Luther, Daily Walk, May 5, 1992.

Grace: This is one of those special words that belongs to the child of God. God has given us some words that the world just doesn't know how to properly appreciate. For instance, there are words like glory, amen, hallelujah, faith, etc. The dictionary defines grace as, "unmerited help given to people by God."

Nevertheless, grace is much more than that! Listen to this definition, "the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues." That, beloved, is grace!

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-10, the great apostle (Paul) was defending the resurrection of the Lord Jesus against the doubts of unbelievers. He mentions the fact that the resurrected Christ was seen by Peter, more than 500 brethren, His earthly brother James, and then last of all, Paul.

Paul also proceeds to tell his readers that because of his sins and attacks against the church, that he was the least of the apostles, and is not even worthy to be named among them. However, Paul goes on to say that he knows God has used him and that anything he has, is, or ever will be, is because of the precious grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).

I'd like to remind you that the same is true for you and me. Because of our sinfulness, we deserve nothing less than an eternity in Hell; apart from the presence of the Almighty. However, because His grace was revealed to us in the Person of His Son the Lord Jesus, we can be saved and used by the Lord in a wonderful fashion.

With the help of the Lord, I'd like to share some of the possessions that belong to the child of God because of grace. They are as follows:

1) I am saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8), "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 1:7), "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"

2) I am sure by grace  (Romans 5:2), "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

3) I am secure by grace (Romans 3:24), "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"

4) I am strengthened by grace (2 Corinthians 12:9), "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 9:8), "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:"

5) I am supplied by grace (Hebrews 4:16), "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

6) I am somebody by grace (Ephesians 3:7-8), "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;"

7) I am satisfied by grace (Ephesians 2:7), "That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

8) I am surprised by grace (1 Corinthians 15:8-10), "And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

It's true. Many things in life will fail us. Friendships will blossom and die. Health, too, can be an elusive thing. Riches and wealth will often remain just beyond reach. Those we love will pass from this earthly plane leaving a void in our hearts hard to be filled. However, there is one thing that every child of God possesses that can never fail, never end, never run out, never run dry; and that will never be found to be insufficient. That, is the grace of God!

Certainly, the road may be long, and wearisome. And, yes, the days may be filled with difficulties and struggles. But, rest assured that there will be grace sufficient for every need and every trial. That, is the promise of God!

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9; Romans 6:14; James 4:6; Hebrews 4:16; Romans 3:24; Titus 2:11; Hebrews 13:9  

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the love you give me. Help me share your love with others! Amen

God bless you!

Erica

Do You Reflect God's Character?

"People who matter, are most aware that everyone else does, too!"  -Malcolm S. Forbes, The sayings of Chairman Malcolm.

Mirrors are pretty honest aren't they? They don’t bargain with us. They don’t gloss over our defects and tell us we’re better-looking than we really are. They show us every flaw we have. In fact, the better the mirror, the more flaws we see. Believe me. I've scared myself on more than one dreary-eyed morning!

Have you ever wondered why we have mirrors in our bathrooms? No, it's not someone's cruel joke on us. I personally think that, because as unpleasant as it may be to confront our own faces first thing in the morning; if we don’t take a look at ourselves, and make some major adjustments, the rest of the world is going to see that morning face!

As difficult, or uncomfortable, as it might be, it’s better to “face” the truth, so we can make the changes we think are necessary in order to make ourselves presentable to the rest of the world. At least, that's the case with me! Are you pretending to be something, or someone, you’re not? Or, have you been deceiving yourself for so long that you actually believe that you’re something else? Who are you really? What do you see when you look into the mirror?

Now, if you look in a mirror, you can see yourself and what you look like. Right? But, if a mirror is going to work properly, it must be a proper mirror. Have you ever been to a funhouse at a carnival that had distorted mirrors (i.e., the infamous House of Mirrors)? They don’t really show us how we are, do they?

Similarly, when we read the Bible, or hear a sermon, we’re supposed to see ourselves in it. Many times, we’ll hear a sermon and think “Man, I wish so-and-so could hear this! They really need it.” But the funny thing is, God in His power didn't see fit to make sure so-and-so was there, but you were. So, maybe the message wasn't really for so-and-so. Maybe it was for you!

Without a doubt, one of the most important reasons we're supposed to read, study, and understand the Scriptures is to see all of our flaws, standing right there front, and center in the bright, light of day. Honestly, if we don’t know they’re there, how will we ever get rid of them?

"For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.  -Steve Jobs

Ask yourself this question the next time you're staring at your reflection: "What do I really look like?" James 1:21-24 has some pretty good advice for us, "So get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says, is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.”

How can somebody look in the mirror and see themselves, then walk away and forget what they look like? There are two possible reasons that this can happen. 1) You don’t believe the mirror is an accurate reflection of who you are. You don’t trust the mirror. 2) You realize that sometimes you do have a problem to fix. This one (number 2) can be the most difficult of the two to accept.

Do you trust the mirror? Or do you walk away from it thinking you’re not worthy? Do you look at the Word that says you can do all things through Christ and then walk away thinking that you could never be good enough? The foolishness of our human nature is that even though we know where the answers lie (in God’s Word) we don’t turn there because we're afraid of what it will say.

E. W. Kenyon says “The reason that the majority of Christians are weak, though they are earnest, yet they are weak, is because they have never dared to make a bold confession of what they are in Christ.”

In closing, the apostle James described God’s Word as a mirror in which we can see ourselves reflected (1:23-24). It shows us that although we were created to reflect God’s character, in our fallen condition we are spiritually ugly and marred by sin. But when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are spiritually reborn (John 3:3-8). Then, as we look into God’s Word, we see ourselves as God sees us—our ugliness has been transformed into the beauty of Christ’s likeness. And we grow in His likeness from that point on!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 12:3; 1 John 3:1; Philippians 4:13; Romans 12:16;  Luke 12:15   

Prayer: Dear Father, you are merciful and kind. Help me find it in my heart to be mericful and kind to others as you have been with me. Amen

God loves you!

Holly

Jesus, From Death to Life Eternal

The day of resurrection?
Earth, tell it out abroad;
The Passover of gladness,
The Passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
From this world to the sky,
Our Christ hath brought us over
With hymns of victory.
Now let the heavens be joyful,
Let earth her song begin;
Let the round world keep triumph,
And all that is therein;
Let all things seen and unseen
Their notes in gladness blend,
For Christ the Lord hath risen,
Our Joy that hath no end.   -John of Damascus.

This past Easter weekend, we followed Jesus in his final hours, which included his appointment with Mt. Calvary (Golgotha), burial, and resurrection. In today's message, I would like to discuss what happened in the interim after his crucifixion on through the Ascension.

Directly after his crucifixion, Jesus' body was hastily placed in a tomb on Friday afternoon. There was little time to properly prepare the body for burial with spices and ointments according to Jewish customs. No work could be done on the Sabbath, so that task had to wait until Sunday. What follows, is the rest of the story as it unfolds in Scripture.

Early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and several other women went to the tomb with the spices they had prepared. When they arrived, they found the tomb had already been opened. When they went in, they did not find Jesus' body, and they wondered what had happened (Mark 16:1-4).

Suddenly, two angels in dazzling white clothes were there. The women were terrified, but the angels said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you that He would be turned over to sinful men, be crucified, and rise again on the third day" (Luke 24:1-8).

The women ran back to tell Jesus' apostles what they had seen (Matthew 28:8). Peter and one other apostle went to the tomb to see for themselves. They looked in and saw the linen cloths that Jesus' body had been wrapped in but nothing else. Then they went home, amazed and confused (John 20:3-7, 10).

When Peter and the other apostle went home, Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb crying. Suddenly she saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize Him at first. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Mary thought He must be the gardener and said, "Sir, if you have taken Him away, tell me where, and I will take Him!" Jesus said, "Mary!" Then she recognized Him and exclaimed, "Master!" (John 20:15-16)

Jesus said, "Don't hold on to me, because I have not yet returned to the Father. But go to my disciples and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Then Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord!", and she told them everything that had happened (John 20:17-18).

Later that same Sunday, two of Jesus' disciples, Cleopas [KLEE uh pas] and another man, were walking along the road to a village called Emmaus [em MAY us], which was about seven miles (11 km) from Jerusalem. All day they had been talking and wondering about all the things that had happened (Luke 24:13-14).

Suddenly, Jesus was there with them, but they did not recognize Him (Mark 16:12). "What are you talking about as you walk along?" He asked. The two disciples looked sad. Cleopas asked, "Are you the only one in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have happened there in the last few days?" "What things?" Jesus asked. "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a great prophet before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed Him over to be crucified" (Luke 24:17-18).

We had hoped that He was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides, it is now the third day since all of this happened. And now, some women of our group amazed us. They went to His tomb early this morning, but they did not find His body there. They came back and told us that they had seen angels there who said He was alive (Luke 24:21-23).

Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women said, but they did not see Jesus." Then Jesus said to them, "Oh you are so foolish, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn't it necessary for Christ to suffer those things and enter into His glory?" (Luke 24:24-26)

As they came near the village of Emmaus, the two disciples said to Jesus, "Stay with us, because it is late and the day is now nearly over." So Jesus went in to stay with them. As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them. Suddenly they recognized Him as Jesus, and He vanished from their sight (Luke 24:29-31).

The two disciples quickly returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven apostles and some of Jesus' other followers gathered together. The apostles told them, "It's true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Peter." Then the two disciples told everything that had happened on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:33-35).

That same Sunday evening most of the apostles were together. They had locked themselves in a room in fear that the religious leaders would want them crucified next. Suddenly, Jesus was there among them. He said, "Peace be with you." Jesus showed them the wounds from crucifixion in his side and hands. The apostles were overjoyed to see Jesus alive again. Jesus said again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." (Luke 24:36; John 20:19)

The apostle Thomas was not with the others when Jesus appeared to them. So the others told him, "We have seen the Lord." But Thomas said, "Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger in the nail holes and my hand in the wound in His side, I will not believe it." (John 20:24)

A week later the apostles were again locked in the same room, and Thomas was with them. Jesus again came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and look at my hands. Put your hand in my side. Don't doubt it any more. Believe!" All Thomas could say was, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen? Blessed are those who have not seen but have come to believe." (John 20:26)

Jesus remained on earth for 40 days after He was resurrected from the dead on that Sunday morning (Acts 1:3). He appeared again to the apostles at the Sea of Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) and on a mountainside in Galilee. He also appeared to more than 500 others (1 Corinthians 15:6).

Jesus' parting words to His disciples were, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20).

When it was time for Jesus to return to heaven, He led His disciples out to a place near Bethany, a village on the slopes of the Mount of Olives about 2 miles (3 km) from Jerusalem. Jesus lifted up His hands and blessed them. Then He ascended to heaven, and the disciples lost sight of Him in a cloud (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9)

In conclusion, although it's true that the story of Jesus reaches its zenith with the Resurrection, there is definitely more to the story. These episodes provide us with a couple of things. First, they give us a picture of how Jesus was received by his followers post-Resurrection; then, they furnish us with the evangelistic direction that steers Christians to this day.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Please help me, and guide me, so I may do the right things. Amen

Have a blessed day!

D'Arcy

Video - A Very Special Easter

Crayon drawings animate real-life responses from children as they talk about Easter. Their unfiltered and heartfelt responses bring humor and depth to the subject. Only a child could mix the silly and the sacred to so powerfully illustrate what makes the story of Jesus, and how we celebrate it, so special.  Enjoy!   ~Eve

Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: He Conquered Death; Securing Our Eternal Salvation!

"Understand, then, the sense in which Christ was made a sacrifice for sin. But here lies the glory of this matter. It was as a substitute for sin that he did actually and literally suffer punishment for the sin of all his elect."  -Charles H. Spurgeon

Holy Saturday is the name given to the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Some Christians recognize Holy Saturday, the seventh day of Holy Week, as the day on which Jesus “rested” from His work of providing salvation. As Jesus died, He called out, “It is finished!” There was no further price to pay; sin had been atoned for (John 19:30).

And what about Jesus' disciples? It's safe to say that the day between Christ’s crucifixion and His resurrection was more than likely a time of grief and shock; as the shakened disciples tried to understand the murder of Jesus, the betrayal of Judas, and the dashing of their hopes.

If you recall, the disciples scattered when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:50); and on top of this, they spent the first Holy Saturday in hiding because they were afraid of being arrested, too (John 20:19)! Imagine trying to process all of this, as it happened in rapid succession, within the space of only a few days!

Now, normally the Romans would leave the bodies of the crucified victims hanging upon the cross until they rotted, or until the birds and beasts of prey had eaten them. However, it was against Jewish law to leave a body hanging overnight (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). Moreover, Christ was crucified on Friday, the day before the Sabbath (Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:31, 42). Since this Sabbath was also during the Passover week, it was a "high day," or more sacred than an ordinary Sabbath day (John 19:31).

The only biblical reference to what happened on Holy Saturday is found in Matthew 27:62-66. After sundown on Friday (the day of Preparation) the chief priests and Pharisees visited Pontius Pilate. This visit was on the Sabbath, since the Jews reckoned a day as starting at sundown. The Jews sought Pilate's permission to remove the bodies of Jesus and the two robbers before the Sabbath day which began at sunset.

Jesus' body lay in the tomb where it was guarded by Roman soldiers all day Saturday, which was the Sabbath. When the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Christ's body was ceremonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus: "He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, Jesus' body was wrapped along with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth" (Luke 23:52-54; John 19:39-40).

Nicodemus (John 3:1-2), like Joseph of Arimathea (Luke 23:50-51), was a member of the Sanhedrin, the court which had condemned Jesus Christ to death. For a time, both men had lived as secret followers of Jesus, afraid to make a public profession of faith because of their prominent positions in the Jewish community. Similarly, both were deeply affected by Christ's death. They boldly came out of hiding, risking their reputations and their lives because they now realized Jesus was, indeed, the long-awaited Messiah.

While his physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our eternal salvation: "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Certainly, without the resurrection of Christ, we would be in pretty bad shape. If Christ had never been raised, “your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). They (the chief priests and Pharisees) remembered Jesus saying that He would rise again in three days (Matthew 27:63; John 2:19-21) and wanted to do everything they could to prevent that.

As we know, the Roman guards, who were posted by the entrance to the tomb, were woefully insufficient to prevent the resurrection; and the women who returned to the tomb Sunday morning found it empty (Luke 23:55-56; 24:1-3; Mark 15:47; 16:6; Matthew 27:61; 28:5). The Lord had risen!

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3; Romans 10:9; John 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:20;  1 Corinthians 15:3-4; John 20:17; Luke 24:36-43

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

May your week be blessed!

Bibi

Remember The Cross!

“We trample the blood of the Son of God if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only explanation for the forgiveness of God and for the unfathomable depth of His forgetting is the death of Jesus Christ."  - Oswald Chambers

Sometime around midnight, or early Friday morning Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested by the authorities (Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12).

Christ's journey took a tragic turn for the worse in these final hours leading to his death. According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning.

In the hours that followed, Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. After multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment.

Before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on him, tormented and mocked him, and pierced him with a crown of thorns. Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where, again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross.

It's at this point, that I'd like to take a slightly different look at Jesus' final hours from the perspective of the cross. It wasn't always such a popular symbol. During the days of Jesus, the cross was a symbol of shame and embarrassment, a symbol of warning and terror. As most of you probably know, the Roman empire used the cross as a means of execution.

A pole would be sunk into the ground, and if you were sentenced to crucifixion, you would be fastened to a crossbar and hung onto that pole. The cross was only reserved for slaves and robbers and assassins and rebels. As a general rule, Roman citizens wouldn't be executed on a cross, because it was too shameful of a way to die.

The cross was a common site in the early first century. Caesar Augustus bragged about capturing 20,000 runaway slaves – whichever ones were not claimed were crucified. 6000 slaved involved in a rebellion were all crucified at once on the road leading to Rome. 2000 people in Palestine were crucified for their rebellion.

For a Jew, the cross represented the worst way to die. To be crucified, in the eyes of a Jew, meant that you have been cursed by God. If you lived in the early first century, the cross would be a symbol of shame and terror for you.

Jesus was led out to be crucified, and two criminals were led out with him. When they came to Golgotha (which means "the place of the skull")  the Roman soldiers crucified Jesus, with one criminal on his left, and one on his right (Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27; John 19:18).

Here a prophecy is fulfilled: Isaiah had foretold that Jesus would be numbered with the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12). When Jesus was hung on the cross, he was lowered to the level of a criminal. He was brought down to the same level as those other two criminals, and everyone else who had ever been crucified.

Many people were mocking Christ, including these two criminals. Luke tells us what one of the criminals said: “Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” “If you’re the Messiah, the Son of God, like you say you are, why don’t you get out of this situation? And get us out of here too!” This criminal blasphemes Christ, mocking his claim to be the Son of God (Luke 23:39).

The way this criminal blasphemes the Messiah reminds us of how our world today blasphemes Christ. “Jesus is the Son of God?” people say. “I don’t think so. Why doesn't he prove it? Why doesn't he do something to prove that he is the Son of God, someone I should worship? Prove it!” People today mock the idea of Jesus being the Savior of the world, just like that criminal hanging next to Jesus.

My dear friends, we are sinners, and ultimately, it is because of our sin that Jesus is suffering. It wasn't the Jews. It wasn't the Romans. But it was us – our rebellion, our blasphemy, our sin – that’s what put Christ on the cross. That’s why he is suffering, taking the punishment that we deserve for our sin.

However, one of the criminals has a change of heart. Instead of continuing to mock Christ, he grows silent, and then he rebukes his fellow criminal: “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23:40-41)

A change of heart takes place in this criminal. He starts to defend Christ. He confesses his sinful life – “we are getting what our deeds deserve.” He even acknowledges that Jesus is innocent. What was happening in the heart of this criminal?

He was repenting. The Holy Spirit was working. Perhaps, as he hung from the cross, he realized the depth of his sin. Perhaps he remembered all the things he had learned about the Messiah when he was younger, the idea of a suffering Messiah, a Messiah that would be mocked. As he hung from the cross, the Holy Spirit led him to repent, to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

He defends Christ. He confesses his sin. And then, he turns to Christ, and says, “Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). In other words, “I repent of my life as a criminal. I repent of my mockery. I believe that you are a king, the Messiah who was to come. I believe that you have fulfilled the Old Testament. I believe that you are a King who shows mercy. Forgive me for the life I have led. Forgive me for the way I mocked you. When you come into your kingdom, have mercy on me. Remember me.

These words of repentance are also our words, aren't they. As we see Jesus die on the cross, we also pray, “O Lord, forgive me for my life of rebelling against you. Forgive me for mocking you by doubting you, and questioning you. Forgive me. Have mercy on me. Remember me, when you come into your kingdom.”

And Jesus, even though he was being shown no mercy, showed mercy to that criminal. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus says, “today you will be with me in paradise.” Crucifixion was supposed to be a 2, or 3 day process. But Jesus tells this man, today, this very day, you will be in paradise, heaven, that wonderful place souls go before Judgment Day. This very day, you will be there, and you’ll be there with me, your Messiah, your King” (Luke 23:43).

Jesus spoke seven final statements from the cross. His first words were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34). His last were, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46). Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last and died.

By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, took Jesus' body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb.

Jesus gave the criminal an unconditional pardon – he completely and totally forgave him, and gave him the hope of eternal life.

Why? Because, at that very moment, Jesus was dying for that criminal’s sins on the cross. At that very moment, Jesus was dying for all that man’s criminal acts against society and against God. Jesus was paying for that. All that mockery – Jesus was paying for that too. What amazing love, that as Jesus suffers for this man, he offers him forgiveness, an unconditional pardon, the sure hope of eternal life.

Jesus does the same thing for you. How is it that Jesus can say to you, “Without a doubt, you are forgiven. I am with you always, and someday, you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus says that to you – how?

Because here on the cross, Jesus is taking all of your sins away. All the different ways we have rebelled against God, all those moments of mocking and doubting God in our minds, Jesus, right here, is paying for those sins. Because of this moment on the cross, Jesus offers to you an unconditional pardon, a clean slate, the sure hope of eternal life with him.

What did the cross mean for this criminal? At first, I’m sure, it was a symbol of shame and terror and death. It meant that he was cursed by God. But now, because of what Jesus says to him here, the cross takes on a new meaning for him. Here is where he meets his Savior. Here is where he confesses his sin. Here's where he receives a wonderful pardon from the Son of God. Here's where he receives his salvation.

What does the cross mean to you? All kinds of things come to mind, I’m sure. But, let this moment we have focused on today be one of those things; the chief thing, that comes to mind. You see, you are that criminal on Mt. Calvary, the place of the skull. And as you consider all the sins in your life and wonder, can God really forgive me? Then, remember the cross. There Jesus calls out to you, and assures you are forgiven, that you will be with him in paradise.

Scripture: John 3:16; Matthew 27:35; Acts 3:22; John 19:37; John 14:28; Mark 12:29; John 1:11

Prayer: Dear Lord, please help me to find the inspiration to show the beauty of the world to those who only see darkness. Amen

God bless you all!

Heather

This Is My Body Given For You

"A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing."  -Martin Luther

We are now up to Thursday of the Holy Week. From Bethany Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to make the preparations for the Passover Feast. That evening after sunset, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as they prepared to share in the Passover. By performing this humble act of service, Jesus demonstrated by example how they were to love one another.

Luke 22:14-20 is one of the most beautiful accounts of the Last Supper found in the Bible. Sometimes we tend to forget that the Lord’s Supper is a continuation of the Old Testament celebration of Passover.

Passover was a memorial built around a meal that a family shared with their guests. The Passover meal served as a memorial to help Israelites remember, and teach their children, that the Lord delivered them from slavery in Egypt. Passover was a meal that a family shared. But it was a highly symbolic and ritualized meal.

Now what makes the Lord’s Supper different then a Passover Meal is that at the Last Supper Jesus took some of the elements at the table, and interpreted them around Himself. The Lord’s Supper is something of a reinterpretation of the Passover Meal. Christ interpreted His death to the Disciples in a Passover context. 

First, we'll look at the symbolism behind the first cup. In the celebration of Passover people share four cups of wine. Notice that here in Luke Jesus uses two of the cups as teaching points. We read, ‘After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you.”’ With the first cup Jesus said, "Take this and divide it among you” (Luke 22:17).

Jesus ‘gave thanks’. The word in Greek is ‘eucharisteo.’ That's where we get our word, ‘Eucharist’, which simply means, ‘Thanksgiving’. I think that Thanksgiving is a very nice name for this ritual. But, with the first cup Jesus said, ‘Take this and divide it among you.’ This demonstrates Christian Unity.

Next, let's look at the symbolism behind the breaking of the unleavened bread. Luke tells us, ‘And Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you.”’ Jesus took the unleavened bread, held it up, and said, ‘This is my body given for you.’ (i.e., this bread represents my body which is being given so you can enter into this New Covenant - Luke 22:19). Christ was the sacrificial lamb so to speak. Christ gave His life for us. Christ broke the bread. And the breaking of the bread symbolized Jesus was laying down His life for His people.

Down through the ages the Lord’s Supper has been a source of endless controversy in the Christian church. And that's a very sad statement about a practice that was meant to bring us together, and to symbolize our unity. Christ and His Disciples shared a meal as all this went on. And, just in general, sharing a meal builds community. But, the Last Supper was a celebration of Passover. And Passover was, and is, a meal shared by a family with their closest friends.

That's why we call the Lord’s Supper ‘Communion’. We call it Communion because communion conveys the sense of what is going on here. When we partake of the cup we are declaring our communion that is our fellowship, and oneness with one another, and God.

Now, let's examine the symbolism behind the second cup. With the last of the four cups served at Passover, we read, ‘In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’ Jesus said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood’ (Luke 22:20). In other words, His death establishes the New Covenant. Therefore, this serves to remind us that in His death the Lord was establishing a new covenant with us. That is, the Spirit calling from within us.

This is fulfilled in the giving of the Holy Spirit to indwell us. And while under the Old Covenant, faithfulness was encouraged upon God’s people from the outside, under the New Covenant the urge to be faithful comes from within us. And, this covenant was sealed with Christ’s blood.

Finally, Communion serves as a memorial to what Christ has done. Jesus said, ‘do this in remembrance of me.’ We all have trouble remembering things. Communion, like Passover, has elements of past, present and future. Communion in particular is very forward looking.

There will be a new Exodus so to speak, when the Lord comes to bring us home. Jesus told us, ‘I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God’, and ‘I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’

He is referring to the Great Messianic Banquet which unveils our eternity. As we go through life in the here and now, the New Covenant has been established. The Spirit has arrived. But the world, and we ourselves, have not yet been made perfect. That awaits the day our Lord’s returns.

Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony to God the Father. Luke's Gospel says "his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke 22:44)

It was here, that night, in Gethsemane, that Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin. He was taken to the home of Caiaphas, the High Priest, where the whole council had gathered to begin making their case against Jesus.

Meanwhile, in the early morning hours as Jesus' trial was getting underway, Peter denied knowing his Master three times before the rooster crowed (Luke 22:34).

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:26; John 6:53-58; Acts 2:42; John 8:12; John 3:16; John 15:7; 2 Corinthians 13:14

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the love you have shown me. Help me carry that love to others so they may benefit from your love. Amen  

God bless you!

Alice

A Day of Rest and Betrayal

"When Satan had been entirely worsted in his conflict with Christ in the garden, the man-devil Judas came upon the scene. As the Parthian in his flight turns around to shoot the fatal arrow, so the archenemy aimed another shaft at the Redeemer, by employing the traitor into whom he had entered."  -Charles H. Spurgeon

On Tuesday morning, of the Passion Week,  Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem, and then to the Mount of Olives. At the Temple, the religious leaders aggressively challenged Jesus' authority, attempting to ambush him and create an opportunity for his arrest. But, Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced harsh judgment on them (Matthew 23:24-33).

Tuesday afternoon, Jesus left the city and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which overlooks Jerusalem due east of the Temple. Here Jesus gave his Olivet Discourse, an elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. He taught in parables using symbolic language about end times, including his Second Coming and the final judgment (Matthew 24:1-25:46). Note that Jesus’ teaching in this discourse is in reference to Israel, and not the Church. Christ was speaking of God’s future program for Israel.

Within days of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus was betrayed into the hands of unbelievers and crucified for sinners. The Holy One of God will one day return in glory to judge the world, but first He had to provide the way of salvation for all who would trust in Him.

After a tiring day of confrontation and warnings about the future, Jesus and his disciples stayed the night in Bethany. Bethany was about two miles east of Jerusalem. Here Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha lived. They were close friends of Jesus, and probably hosted him and the disciples during these final days in Jerusalem (John 11:5).

Just a short time previously, Jesus had revealed to the disciples, and the world, that he had power over death by raising Lazarus from the grave (John 11:38-44). After seeing this incredible miracle, many people in Bethany believed that Jesus was the Son of God; and put their faith in him (John 11:45). Also, in Bethany just a few nights earlier, Lazarus' sister Mary had lovingly anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume (John 11:2).

“Silent Wednesday” is so called because while the Bible documents what happened on the other days of the Passion Week, there is nothing really recorded about Wednesday. The Gospel writers are essentially mute on the activity of Jesus’ Wednesday before the cross. Scholars can only surmise what might have happened. Some speculate that Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in the town of Bethany in anticipation of the Passover.

Furthermore, Wednesday marks the day Judas Iscariot negotiated with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6). We're never told why Judas betrayed Christ. Did he betray Christ out of a sense of revenge; because he felt let down when Jesus refused to become the popular Messiah of the Jewish folk religion of the day?

Did he betray Christ out of a sense of frustration because Jesus refused to be the political messiah that Judas had dreamed about; and the dreams for the last three years were rapidly disappearing? Was he just out to make some quick money? Or, did he betray Christ because he was trying to push Jesus’ hand and force him into starting a revolt against the Romans? We'll probably never know.

Scripture: Proverbs 19:5; Matthew 6:14-15; Genesis 12:3; Luke 22:48; Romans 3:23; Philippians 4:13; John 13:21 

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for all you have done. Please help me and calm the fear in my heart and help me to see the brightness in a future that is unclear. Amen

May God bless you!

Constance

The Tree That Bore No Fruit

"The man who concentrates on the root system of his life is going to bear fruit upward, but if he concentrates on the eye-appealing foliage he may end up a rootless failure."

Join me as we continue our walk with Jesus and His disciples through the last week of His earthly life. It's amazing that Jesus was able to pack so much into a seven day period of time. He accomplished a lot during those seven days, and he didn't waste a single minute.

Sometimes though, we need to go back a few steps, so that we can move forward. Even though today is Tuesday, I thought we could  look at an event that occurred early on Monday morning of our Lord’s Passion Week. Doing this will help us see how this applies to today's message. This single event was designed to teach us about the judgment of God that was coming on the nation of Israel. They had rejected their Messiah and they were about to pay a terrible price.

While (Mark 11:12-14; 20-21) speaks primarily to Israel, there's also a word of warning here for all people. The Lord Jesus wants us all to know that He is examining our lives. He wants us to know that He is looking for genuine spiritual fruit in our lives. When He finds that fruit, we are blessed. When He doesn't find it, there's a high price to pay.

We'll begin by talking about the Lord's desire (Mark 11:12). As Jesus and His men travel from Bethany back into Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus becomes hungry, plain and simple. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of that little donkey, the Bible said, of that donkey, “the Lord hath need of him,” (Mark 11:3). It simply amazes me that the Lord could ever need anything. After all, He is God. He is the Creator. He is the Lord of Glory.

Yet, when Jesus was born into this world, He put aside His heavenly glory for a little while to live in this world as a man. The One Who made all things became dependent upon the things He had made. The paradox of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ is summed up in the words of Paul in (2 Corinthians 8:9), “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

• The Creator became a helpless infant, dependent upon His mother for everything.
• He owned all things, yet He possessed nothing. He created the stars, yet He had nowhere to lay His Own head (Matthew 8:20).
• He fashioned everything there is out of nothing, yet He had to borrow a boat from which to preach His Gospel.
• He created every drop of water that exists in the world, yet He cried “I thirst” as He was dying on the cross (John 19:28).
• He created every tree, but He died on a borrowed cross.
• He created every rock, but He had to borrow a tomb in which to be buried.
• He used the clouds as His chariots (Psalm 104:3), yet He had to borrow a donkey on which to ride.

All of these things are clear evidence of His humanity. When Jesus was born into this world, He remained fully God, but He became fully man (Philippians 2:5-8). This is seen in many areas of His life. Consider the following:

•  Jesus experienced hunger (Mark 11:12) (cf. Psalm 50:12)
• Jesus experienced thirst  (John 19:28) (cf. Isaiah 40:12)
• Jesus experienced weariness (John 4:6; Mark 4:38)(cf. Psa. 121:4)
• Jesus experienced pain (Matthew 27:35; Isaiah 52:14; Isaiah 53:4-6) (cf. Psalm 2:4)
• Jesus experienced rejection (John 1:11; John 7:3-5) (cf. Genesis 1:26)
• Jesus experienced loneliness (Mathew 26:56) (cf. Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 13:5)
• Jesus experienced poverty (Matthew 8:20) (cf. Psalm 50:10-12)

Certainly, there's more that could be said about His human experience. But, we need to remember that He endured all He did so that He might identify with us. He did everything He did so that He might go to the cross and die for His people (2 Corinthians 5:21). He did all that He did so that He could experience life from our perspective and extend compassion and help to His people (Hebrews 4:15-16).

In Mark 11:12-13, we learn about the Lord's disappointment. The text tells that Jesus is hungry. As He walks Jesus sees a “fig tree afar off”. The tree is in full leaf, so Jesus goes to it hoping to find some figs to eat. When He comes to the tree, He finds nothing but leaves. Then the text tells us that “the time of figs was not yet”. In order to understand what is happening here, need to examine these verses a little closer.

Fig trees were and are very common in Israel. The common fig, which is mentioned over 60 times in the Bible, is one of the most important trees in the Word of God. Since the fruit grows as the tree produces its leaves, it was reasonable for Jesus to assume that there would be fruit on the tree when He came to it. 

However, when He searched the tree, He found it was all leaves; there was no fruit to be found. This fig tree was deceptive because its leaves promised something the tree could not deliver. The leaves promised fruit, but there was none. There was nothing wrong with the soil. There was nothing wrong with the sap. There was simply no fruit.

This tree had been given everything it needed to foolish. It sat in a good location. It grew in good soil. It had enjoyed the sunshine and the rain. Still, this tree wasn't fruitful. A fig tree in full leaf in April should have been covered with early fruit. Since this tree had no early fruit, it was a sign that there would be no sweet fruit when the time for harvest arrived. This tree had nothing to offer and it was therefore useless!

When we consider this text, we must take it in its context. In verse Mark 11:1-11, Jesus had just presented Himself to Israel as her King. He had publicly declared His identity and Israel would ultimately reject their King. Israel was just like this fruitless fig tree. 

They had all the signs of spiritual life, but they had no fruit. They were keeping the letter of the Law. They were carrying out the Temple ceremonies. They were observing the ancient feasts and the sacrifices. They were religious in every detail, but they had no spiritual fruit.

Israel had been given every advantage that could be afforded to a people. They had received the personal attention and redemption of Almighty God. They had been planted in a good land. They had the Word of God, the prophets of God and the Temple of God. They had everything they needed for a spiritual bumper crop, but they remained fruitless.

Israel had no fruit now and there would be none in the future. They were useless spiritually and fit for nothing but the fire of judgment. As you might imagine, there is a message here for us. When the Lord examines our lives, and He does, what does He see? Does He see us bearing fruit to the glory of God? Or, does He see a tree that has gone to leaf? 

Let's face the facts. We've been given every spiritual advantage God has to offer. We have His Word, His church and His Spirit. He has blessed us in abundance. There is no excuse for us being a fruitless branch! Not everyone bears the same amount of fruit (John 15:1-8). But, everyone who is saved bears some fruit! In truth, every life, saved or lost, bears some sort of fruit, but only those in a right relationship with God will bear His fruit (Matthew 7:18).

Mark 11:14 brings us to the Lord's declaration. Because the fig tree was barren when it promised fruit, the Lord Jesus pronounced a curse upon it. He declared that it was to be fruitless forever. Some people read this and reach the conclusion that Jesus operated in rash anger here. The phrase at the end of verse 13, “for the time of figs was not yet come,” leads them to conclude that Jesus was expecting something from the tree that the tree could not do. 

We have already discussed that matter. If there were leaves on the tree, there should have been fruit as well. Jesus cursed the tree for its hypocrisy. The lack of fruit was not the reason for the curse. It was the pretense of the leaves! The tree was making promises it couldn't deliver!

The point is this. The Lord is looking for fruit. If He finds it in our lives, He will bless us and cause us to be even more fruitful. If He does not find fruit in our lives, He will take whatever steps are necessary to make us fruitful. The question is, what will it take to bring you to a place of fruitfulness? What will the Lord have to do in your life to cause His fruit to appear? These are great questions and worth considering today!

Lastly, Mark 11:20-21 tells us about the Lord's demonstration, and as I mentioned at the beginning, brings us up to Tuesday during the Passion Week. The disciples heard Jesus when He cursed the fig tree (Mark 11:14). The next day, as they passed by, they saw that the fig tree was “dried up from the roots”. 

Peter called the Lord’s attention to the miracle. These men could see that the Lord had worked a miracle and that this miracle had a special lesson to teach. This miracle was a clear demonstration of the Lord’s sovereignty over all things, including nature.

Usually, when a tree “dries up”, it does so from the top down. The root system will be the last part of the tree to die. Not this tree! Jesus cursed it and it died from the roots up. It is a picture of total destruction! Again, this tree is a picture of Israel. They had been judged by the Lord for their hypocrisy and their rejection of the Messiah. They were destroyed from the root up.

In closing, The disciples saw what happened and took it to heart. At least, some of them did! One of them, Judas Iscariot, was like Israel. He was all leaf and no fruit. He preached, healed and cast out devils, but it was all leaf! There was no reality in what he did, it was all hypocrisy! He did not know the Lord. As for you, make sure that you know Him!

Prayer: Dear Lord, take my hands and lead me through my journey until the end. I know that I will not be alone. You will be my companion and stay with me in my hour of need. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Kim

Jesus Is Back In Town!

"All heaven is interested in the cross of Christ, all hell is terribly afraid of it, while men are the only beings who more or less ignore its meaning."  -Oswald Chambers

Yesterday, on Sunday, Jesus had presented Himself to the people in Jerusalem, as their King and as their Messiah, in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9. The people praised Jesus on Sunday, but the religious leaders refused to honor Him as King (Luke 19:39). When Jesus arrived in town on Sunday, He went to the Temple and looked around (Mark 11:11). Note: This visit to the temple isn't mentioned in Matthew; although, it is an important addition to his narrative.

Apparently, during His visit on Sunday, Jesus saw some things that He didn't like. We are told that Jesus found people selling and buying goods in the Temple. He found others exchanging currency. And still others were walking through the Temple grounds on their way to other parts of the city. During His visit on Monday, He will address some of those issues.

The events that occurred during our Lord’s visit to the Temple on that Monday morning is the focal point of today's message. Since the Temple plays such and important part of this message, I think it might help if we have a better understanding of how the Temple and its grounds were arranged.

The Temple complex sat on top of Mt. Zion. It covered an area of some 35 acres. The outer walls of the Temple grounds were between 1,000 and 1,300 feet in length. When a person entered the Temple grounds, they came first into the Court of the Gentiles. This area was open to all people who wanted to worship God. Jews and Gentiles alike were allowed to enter this area to pray and meditate (Luke 18:9-14).

If you'd moved farther into the Temple grounds you would have seen a low wall. Beyond this wall was the Court of Women. On this wall were signs that warned Gentiles to stay out of this courtyard. Only Jewish men and women could enter here. Beyond that was the Court of the Israelites. Jewish women could enter this court only if they were bringing a sacrifice to give to the priests. Jewish men were allowed here at any time.

Then, beyond that was the Court of the Priests. This was where the priests worked and ministered. And, beyond the Court of the Priests was the Temple itself with the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. All of the events in today's message occurred in the Court of the Gentiles.

The population of Jerusalem was usually around 80,000 people. During this time of the year, at Passover, the population swelled to over 2 million. These people came to Jerusalem from all over the world. They came to the Temple, and they came there to worship God.

In those days, part of the Jewish worship involved the sacrifice of animals. These animals had to meet certain standards. Before they could be used for sacrifice, they had to be approved by the priest. Apparently, the High Priest, Caiaphas allowed vendors to sell approved, clean animals in the outer court of the Temple grounds. And, because there were animals being sold in the Temple, the pilgrims who came to town wouldn't have to bring their own animals, nor would they take a chance that the animals they brought would be judged unclean by the priests.

Mark mentioned those “who sold doves” (Mark 11:15). Doves were the sacrifice of the poor. Those who could not afford sheep, goats or bulls could offer these inexpensive birds (Leviticus 5:6-7; 14:22). Doves were what Mary, the mother of Jesus, brought as her sacrifice (Luke 2:24). Other items used in Temple worship were also sold here. Items like wine, oil, flour, and salt, that had been pronounced clean, were also sold in the Temple.

Money changers also provided a valuable service to Temple worshipers. Every Jewish male was required to pay a one-half shekel ransom at each census of Israel. When the Jews returned from captivity under Nehemiah, the fee became yearly and was fixed at one-third of a shekel. A shekel is about one-half an ounce of silver. So, the yearly tax was about $3.50 in today’s money.

This tax was called “the shekel of the sanctuary”. This tax had to be paid in Jewish money. Other currencies were not accepted. The money changers seemed necessary because the pilgrims from around the world would be in possession of various currencies that would not be accepted in the Temple.

Mark 11:16 talks about those who were carrying “merchandise through the Temple.” You see, the Temple courtyard provided a quick path between the eastern part of the city of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. Many people who were on business in the city would take this shortcut through the Court of the Gentiles.

To most people the things that were taking place at the Temple were necessary and fine. They certainly were convenient. Most people had no problem at all with the system and the way things worked. However, we are about to see that Jesus had a real problem with what was going on at the Temple. Now, let's pick up the story from here.

Jesus came to the Temple that Monday morning knowing exactly what He would find. He had been there the day before and had seen what was happening. He returns this morning to do something about the situation. When Jesus came to church that day, He didn't come in as the “meek and lowly Nazarene”. He came as “the Lion of the Tribe of Judah”. The Lord came to His Own house; and found it in total disarray. He took all the necessary steps to set things right.

Jesus entered the Temple and began to turn over tables, drive people away and refuse to allow some to pass through the Temple. Try to imagine the scene if you will. People and animals are running around trying to get away from Jesus. Money is flying through the air. He is ordering people around and trying to get rid of the offenders. I think: total chaos!

Remember now, this isn't the first time Jesus had done this at the Temple. The first happened the previous Passover (John 2:19). It seems, however, that His efforts to reform the Temple had not lasted. The same things are still happening! And, Jesus once again comes to the Father’s House, seeking to restore it to a place of worship, holiness and spirituality.

Thinking back at what they were doing in the Temple a few minutes ago, it doesn't really seem all that bad. Does it? After all, the sellers and the money changers are providing what some might call a necessary service for the worshippers. What could possibly be so wrong here that would drive Jesus to such drastic and violent actions? After all, it was very convenient!

I think the answer lies in what Jesus says in Mark 11:17. In that verse Jesus quotes two Old Testament passages (Isaiah 56:7, Jeremiah 7:11). Let me point out a couple of important things here. First and foremost, the house of God (the temple) was not designed to be a place of commerce, but it was to be a place devoted to the worship of Almighty God. God promised His people that He would meet with them in the Temple. He promised to hear the prayers that were prayed in that place (2 Chronicles 7:15-16).

It was to be His house where He alone was to be worshipped. The Temple had ceased to be about the Lord. It had become a house that was man-centered and not God-centered. The Temple was no longer God’s house; it had become a house devoted to the needs of men. This angered Jesus!

Next, The Temple was designed as a house of prayer. The needy could approach God in that place. The true believer, whether he was a Jew or a Gentile, could come to the Temple and pray to the Lord, and God promised to hear those prayers (2 Chronicles 7:15). Now, the only place a Gentile could approach God had become a marketplace.

Can you imagine the noise that must have filled the Court of the Gentiles with all the animals, the sellers yelling at the buyers, and the buyers haggling with the sellers? There's no way a person could pray, much less meditate, on the things of God. The Jews had effectively closed the doors of the Temple to the Gentiles. This angered Jesus!

Last, the phrase “den of thieves” (Mark 11:17) can be interpreted two ways. Both meanings are in view here. First, a den of thieves could refer to a cave where robbers hid themselves away from those who were searching for them. Second, a den of thieves could refer to a place where robbers hid waiting for their unsuspecting victims to pass by.

Like robbers, the High Priest and his followers had hidden themselves away in the Temple, seeking to hide their wickedness under a cloak of holiness. Like thieves, these men were waiting for the foolish to enter the Temple so they could take their money.

Now, while the sale of the animals and other items used for worship seems harmless and even helpful, we need to understand that it was anything but innocent. The people who came to worship were being charged grossly inflated prices. In addition, The money changers were just as guilty. They were also guilty of extortion.

On top of this, the High Priest and his family were paid a percentage of the profits, and furthermore, on top of the fee, the sellers had to pay to gain permission to sell in the Temple. It was a big money racket that preyed on poor. The Temple was nothing but a “den of robbers.”

If you recall, Jesus wouldn't allow people to use the Temple grounds as a shortcut. The Jewish oral law, or the Mishnah, actually forbade the Jews from using the Temple in this way. The Mishnah says, “A man may not enter the Temple Mount with his staff or his sandal or his wallet, or with the dust upon his feet, nor may he make of it a short by-path.”

It seems that the Jews had lost all respect for the holiness and sanctity of the Temple and treated its grounds like it was any other place. The house of God was looked upon as a convenience to be used as a person saw fit. Of course, when Jesus saw the Father’s house being treated this way, He took measures to make this right.

One can look at it this way, The reason the Jews were defiling their Temple was due to the fact that they had ceased to reverence God in their hearts. They simply did not love Him, adore Him, respect Him, nor did they carry His Word in their hearts. As a result, they traveled down a path that led them away from God and into self-indulgence. Hmmmm...I think there might be a lesson there somewhere. What do you think?

The Jews treated the things of God like they did because they held a small view of God; as a result, He occupied a small place in their lives. Sadly, I'm afraid that many people in our day also have a small view of God. That's why He comes in second, third, fourth, even if He comes in at all!

When the Jewish leaders heard about what Jesus did, they are resolved to put Him to death. They would succeed, because before the sun sat that Friday, Jesus would be dead and buried in a borrowed tomb.

It's interesting to note that the people were amazed by what they saw Jesus do and by what they heard Him say. No doubt, many of the people there that day were sincerely trying to worship God and they were being taken advantage of by the very people who should have been there to lead them to the Lord. They were interested in the changes Jesus was trying to make in the Temple. And, they were tired of being taken advantage of by the High Priest and his followers.

In the end, however, it didn't matter. The Temple had been defiled, God was offended and judgment was coming. And, in less that forty years judgment did come. It came in the form of a Roman general named Titus and his Roman Legions. Judgment came to the Temple and those who perverted the things of God. Judgment came and it couldn't be stopped.

The lesson for us is very clear. We can be a people God will bless, or we can be a people God will judge. Which you and I are, will be determined by how much we love Him. Because, how much we love Him will dictate how faithfully, fully, and fruitfully we will serve Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord, in my darkest moment, please help me see your light and find my way. Amen

May God always bless you!

Shelley