HALLELUJAH! CHRIST AROSE!

“Father, if you are willing,

please take this cup

of suffering away from me.

Yet I want your will to be done,

not mine.”

Luke 22:42 NLT

~~~~~

When we read about early Christian martyrs being tortured for their faith in Christ, amazingly some of them sang praises to God and some even welcomed the flames that killed them. They wholeheartedly believed what Paul wrote, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Death held no fear for them. They knew Christ’s death assured them eternal life. Jesus taught, I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. (physical death) Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. (spiritual death – eternal separation from God.) As born again believers we can confidently face physical death because our Lord has suffered the spiritual death we deserve.

As Jesus approached the time of His crucifixion He said, “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name.” The night He was betrayed He prayed in Gethsemane “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

Jesus struggled so profoundly at the thought of dying for our sins because it meant complete separation from His heavenly Father. It meant the fellowship - peace - joy - glory and fulfillment which He had enjoyed with His Father from all eternity would be cut off. He would be in utter darkness, completely removed from all light. No wonder Jesus cried out from the cross, My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? In absolute darkness – totally separated from His Father - He suffered the hell our sins deserve.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. The Father was completely satisfied with the sacrifice of His sinless Son so on the third day after His death, having fully paid for our sins on the cross, He raised Him from the dead.

“Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!”
-- Robert Lowry

Listen to  RESURRECTION  - Guy Penrod

USING GOD’S GIFTS WELL

“To those who use well

what they are given,

even more will be given,

and they will have an abundance.

But from those who do nothing,

even what little they have

will be taken away.”

Matthew 25:29 NLT

~~~~~~

This verse comes after the parable of the Ten Bridesmaids and the parable of the Three Servants which set the scene for the Final Judgment all of us are going to face some day. The point is there is no way of knowing when that day will come, nor will it be possible for us to make preparations once the day has arrived.

Ever since God has put people on this planet, He has given them gifts of ability, opportunity, and privilege along with the responsibility to use well what they are given. To use those gifts in a God honoring way results in getting more abilities, opportunities, and privileges which keep on growing and developing as we serve the Lord.

To neglect God’s gifts and not put them to use in this life will bring unimaginable tragic results – all abilities, opportunities, and privilege to know and serve God will be taken away, and those people will be cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This kind of language is only used of people who refuse to put their trust in Jesus. Since God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Not to make use of the gift of salvation through Christ cancels out all other eternal gifts.

However, by putting our trust in Jesus, we take that first vital step which opens the door to the possibility of using all the rest of God’s gifts well. Whether those gifts are great and numerous or whether they are average or even minuscule – it really doesn’t matter. What really matters is - are we using well the gift He has given us.

I have to acknowledge that I often don’t use well opportunities the Lord gives me. Most likely I am not the only one who needs help in this area. But we must not take comfort in telling ourselves “others have the same problem.” Rather we need to cry out to God for His help because we truly want to be among those who on the Day of Accounting, will hear our Lord say, Well done, you were faithful over a few things, I will put you in charge of many things – let’s rejoice together.

Click on Change My Heart Oh God and let it bless you.



CALL ON HIM IN TRUTH

“The Lord is close to all

who call on him,

yes, to all who call on him in truth.”

Psalm 145:18 NLT

~~~~~~~

It doesn’t take much time in the Scriptures to become aware that some of God’s promises are unconditional (meaning God will bring about what has been promised no matter what). For example, Jesus said,
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

God has also made promises that are conditional (meaning a condition or conditions must be met before the promised benefits can be realized). Our key Bible verse today is an example of a conditional promise. The Lord is close to all who . . .

The Lord is present everywhere, all of the time, and in that sense He is close to everyone, believers and unbelievers as well whether we are aware of it or not. But the closeness of the Lord referred to in today’s promise is something special! It is the sensing of the loving presence of the Lord which only believers are capable of experiencing, and only when they meet the conditions - call on him, yes, . . . call on him in truth.

To call on the Lord in truth is more than just saying some religious sounding words and going through the motions. It means, like David, sincerely calling out to God from the bottom of our heart – Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. As we turn from what offends God, He forgives us, and deep within we sense His comforting nearness.

When life moves along smoothly with few bumps we can be tempted to let the things of the Lord slip. Bible reading, prayer and Godly living are easily neglected, and before we realize it, we don’t sense His precious nearness as we once did.

On the other hand, our life may seem way out of control, with trouble on every hand – finances – health – marriage . . . and it feels like the Lord is worlds away. Then added to our aloneness is the realization that we have drifted from Him and have neglected our relationship with Him.

No matter what may have caused us to lose that close relationship we once knew with our Lord, it wasn’t the Lord who moved. The way back into that closeness is the same for all of us: CALL ON HIM IN TRUTH for The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.

DAY BY DAY

“As your days,
so shall your strength be.”
Deuteronomy 33:25 KJV
~~~~~~~

It goes without saying - the days of our lives are not all the same. At times we are very thankful that they aren’t. Other times we wish certain days would never end.

Though our relationship with our Lord is an eternal one, He has a way of providing for us on a daily basis. This principle is so clearly seen in the daily provision of the manna in the wilderness, and in His teaching us to ask Him to give us this day our daily bread.

Whatever comes into our lives is allowed by our loving Heavenly Father, and with each day He provides what we need for that day. Days filled with “Ho-hum” and boredom, or days full of excitement and anticipation – His promise is - As your days, so shall your strength be. Days of good news filling us with gratitude and joy, or bad news that strikes pain and terror into our hearts – His promise is - As your days, so shall your strength be.

Almost 150 years ago this wonderful truth was captured by Karolina W. Sandell-Bergn (the “Fanny Crosby of Sweden”), in her beautiful hymn “Day by Day.” (tr. by Andrew L. Skoog)

Day by day, and with each passing moment,

Strength I find, to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,

I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.

He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure

Gives unto each day what He deems best—

Lovingly, it’s part of pain and pleasure,

Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day, the Lord Himself is near me

With a special mercy for each hour;

All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,

He Whose Name is Counselor and Pow’r.

The protection of His child and treasure

Is a charge that on Himself He laid;

“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”

This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in every tribulation

So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,

That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation

Offered me within Thy holy Word.

Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,

E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,

One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,

Till I reach the promised land.

Click on  DAY BY DAY and let this beautiful song encourage your heart today.

THE BRIDE OF CHRIST

“A man will leave

his father and mother

and be united to his wife,

and the two will become one flesh.

This is a great mystery:

but I speak concerning Christ

and the church.”

Ephesians 5:31-32 KJV

~~~~~~~

Sixty years ago on the 30th day of January Donna and I were married in her home church, West Center Street Baptist in Madison, SD. It was 20 degrees below zero, but our hearts were anything but cold. I sang to her “I Love You Truly” and before God and witnesses we promised each other “to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”

 Marriage between a man and a woman has been God’s design from the beginning of time. As precious and meaningful as the husband and wife relationship can be, it is but a shadow of the infinitely deeper and eternal relationship between Christ and His Church (true born-again believers) - “The Bride of Christ”.

 In New Testament times the Jewish custom was for the bridegroom to leave his father’s house to visit the home of his prospective bride and negotiate her dowry with her father. Once the price was paid the bride belonged to the bridegroom. However, she stayed at home and got herself ready for the wedding, while the bridegroom went back to his father’s house to prepare a place for his bride. When all was ready, the bridegroom came back to get her. Though she didn’t know when he would return, she prepared herself for the big day - continually looking for his return.

 Wow, what an illustration of Christ, the bridegroom, and His bride, the Church! He came to this world to become one of us, yet without sin. Incredibly, He chose us to be His bride. Giving himself up for us on the cross He paid the dowry, making us His very own. After His resurrection as He was getting ready to return to His Father’s house, He encouraged His followers by telling them, I am going to prepare a place for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. Some day, He is coming back to take us, His bride, home. We don’t know when it will happen, but it will happen!! First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

 When our bridegroom comes for us, He will be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords - HALLELUJAH!!! (click on this link and let it bless your heart).

THE LORD BLESS AND KEEP YOU

“The LORD bless you
and keep you;
The LORD make His face
shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV
~~~~~~~

This passage is probably the most famous blessing in the entire Bible. Aaron, the high priest, and his sons were instructed to pronounced it over the people of God. We recognize it as a blessing that is often spoken over a congregation by the pastor at the close of a worship service. Even though it is known as a benediction, I believe it can be very meaningful at the beginning of a new year. We are so familiar with it, it is easy to miss the depth of the meaning of the words. Allow me to bless your 2011 by paraphrasing these verses with the help of some Hebrew scholars.*

“May The LORD God who exists from all eternity bless you with gifts that meet your deepest needs, and may He like a Sheppard guard and protect you as He builds a hedge around you to keep you safe from the devourer.

“May the loving face of our eternal LORD; shine on you, warming your soul and spirit and driving away any darkness that may still linger in the corners of your life.

“May The LORD God who exists from all eternity be gracious to you making your life beautiful with warmth, love, friendships, community, and the material things you need.

“May The LORD God who exists from all eternity set His loving face on you, and give you peace (shalom);a peace which expresses itself in completeness, wholeness, and perfection; a peace which includes health, and soundness of body and soul; a peace that is rest, tranquility, and harmony; surrounded by prosperity and is a stranger to agitation and discord.”

May this blessing surround and fill your life throughout 2011 and all your years and days to come!

Click on link below to hear the Tyler Junior College
A Cappella Choir sing:

THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

*For those interested – here are the Hebrew scholars’ notes which I used to roughly paraphrase Numbers 6:24-26.:

When we see the word LORD in capital letters it stands for (Yahweh) God’s name which literally means “He who exists.” Bless in this passage is (barak) which means to “kneel down” and conveys the idea of respectfully kneeling down to present a gift. Keep is (shamar) which here refers to the guarding and protection a Sheppard provides for his sheep at night by building a hedge of thorny brush. Face (paniym) reflects the Hebraic sense of motion as the face reflects many different moods, emotions and thoughts. Shine (or) means to "give light" – “enlighten.” Gracious (hhanan) “A place of beauty”. Nomad camps consisted of many family tents, arranged in a circle, and were viewed as a place of beauty. Not just the appearance of beauty but the action, a place of warmth, love, friendship, community and sustenance. Coutenance (paniym) means "face." Give (siym) literally means to "set down in place." Peace (shalom) means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.

IT IS GOOD TO GIVE THANKS!

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to the Most High.
It is good to proclaim
your unfailing love in the morning,
your faithfulness in the evening.
Psalm 92:1-2 NLT
~~~~~~

Tradition has it that after the pilgrims had learned (with the help of the Indians) how to survive in this country they celebrated the harvest with grateful hearts. President Washington, as well as several other Presidents, made one-time Thanksgiving holidays. President Lincoln was the first to make it an annual observance on the last Thursday of November. In 1939 President Roosevelt set the fourth Thursday of November as our National Thanksgiving Day (approved by congress in 1941).

So last Thursday according to American tradition we observed Thanksgiving Day. Many families got together to catch up on the latest happenings in the lives of loved ones and feast on turkey and all the trimmings. It most likely was a good time of expressing gratitude for the good things the Lord has given this past year.

Our Scripture tells us, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord.” It is good and right because expressing thanks to Him honors and glorifies Him and acknowledges that HE is the source of the good things that we are enjoying. Sincerely giving thanks to the Lord not only pleases Him but it definitely has a very positive effect on our lives. It fills us with a sense of peace and an awareness of His favor, along with a desire to live close to Him.

Ingratitude on the other hand turns a cold shoulder to the Lord – taking for granted all the blessings that He so graciously gives. It’s an attitude which flows from a proud heart that feels it deserves all the good that happens in life and quickly grumbles and complains when anything unpleasant comes along. What an insult to a loving Father who consistently showers us with His unconditional love. And what a negative person, ingratitude turns us into – someone no one enjoys being around.

So it becomes quite obvious that expressing thanks to the Lord is the way to go not only once a year on a National Holiday, but every day all day long. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening. There is so much to be thankful for – spiritually – physically – materially - relationally and on and on. If we get to feeling a bit sorry for ourselves we need to be reminded that our Lord’s love endures forever, so whether we are on the mountain or the valley - It is (always) good to give thanks to the Lord!!


The song FOREVER by Chris Tomlin will stir your heart to give thanks.