Mary, Mother of the Condemned…
I stand here at the foot of this hill to see my son, my firstborn, hanging on this cruel cross and my heart is torn from my body. It only seems like days ago that I birthed him on that blessed evening, the cattle lowing in the background, and laid him in that manger. I knew he was Heaven’s child as I held him in my arms and sang a mother’s lullaby. Oh, how my heart leapt for joy as Joseph and I stood over our son and prayed for God’s blessing and faithfulness. As I nursed and nurtured him, he grew into a strong and well-mannered child. I still remember the visit from the Magi with their precious gifts, our trips to the synagogue for his Bar Mitzvah and the Passover sacrifices. I remember the panic I felt when we could not find him for three days …and the look of peace and serenity on his face when he told us that he must be about His Father’s business. Though puzzled by his remark, I was so happy to have my precious Jesus in my arms again that I even failed to scold him. Even now, as he labors to breathe, his thoughts and concerns are for me…to give me to his beloved friend, John, so that I may be cared for in the days that are left for me. He told me, so many times, that this day would come…a day when sinful, deceitful men would triumph and he would give his life as a ransom for many….and for me….my Jesus….my son….my Messiah.
Artemas, Thief among Men…..
I have been dreading this day and yet, knowing that it was inevitable. It gave me a sense of strength and purpose, killing that Roman guard after what he did to my mother and my sister…well, he got what he deserved…and now, according to Roman law, I will get what I deserve. But, this man, Jesus? I can’t believe that he is hanging next to me? What crime are they punishing him for….healing the sick, making the lame to walk or the blind to see? My death; I get it! And I would do it over again to avenge my mother and sister. But why Jesus? I heard their accusations; watched as Pilate had him beaten beyond recognition, then washed his hands of this whole fiasco. And these religious hypocrites clamoring for him to be crucified…they should be the ones hanging next to me, not Jesus. Even now, they scoff at him and beg the soldiers to take down the sign hung there by orders from Pilate…”Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.” The soldiers have stripped him naked and cast lots for his purple robe and yet, I heard him say, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
Who is this man that even on this cruel cross he pleads for those that would kill him? And you….you vile serpent ….you are getting just what you deserve…a sentence to death and damnation….do not mock this man. For He is innocent and does not deserve the same fate as you and I. Do you dare mock God and fear Him not? Leave him alone and let him die without the haunting screech of a condemned man ringing in his ears….but King Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom and do not count my sins against me. And then, He did the unthinkable; he raised himself upon the nail and looked at me with his loving eyes and said, “It will be so. Today, you will be with me in paradise.”
By now, it was near noon and I was beginning to lose some of my strength and my will to live was beginning to falter. The sky began to darken and it became like night…the sun seemed blotted from the sky. The women at the foot of Jesus’ cross kept reaching up to touch Him as they held on to each other, sobbing and calling out for God to save His Son. Then, as the darkness seemed to deepen, Jesus called out in a voice that shook the heavens above and made the foundations of the earth quake. He cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” The sky grew darker still and the heavens opened up with torrential rain. The rocks seemed to split open as the whole earth shook. Then he shouted again, “Father, It is finished! Into your hands I commit my spirit.”
And in that last breath, He was gone. I heard the centurion who had stood guard at His feet, turn and tell all those who were still there, “Surely this man was the Son of God.” Then I turned and looked away…. for I, a guilty, sinful man, was not worthy to gaze upon the Son of God.
Joseph of Arimathea, Disciple of Silent Action
I had to hurry for the day of preparation would soon be over and the Sabbath would be upon us. I had all the necessary things for a quick burial. There would be time later to return and finish the process after the Sabbath. But, first, I had to get before Pilate so that I might claim His body or Jesus would be given a criminal’s burial in the Potter’s field.
I knew I would take some punishment from my fellow members of the Sanhedrin; but if only there had not been such a rush to judgment, Nicodemus and I might have been able to talk them into something less than death. I know Jesus spoke out against them and their deceitful ways, but He only spoke the truth…and that’s what brought about his death… for evil men do not want the light to be shone on their evil deeds.
I hurried off to see Pilate. When I arrived at the palace, I asked the guard to tell Pilate that Joseph of Arimathea would like an audience with him to plead for the body of Jesus. He quickly returned and said that Pilate was sending one of his personal guards to insure that Jesus was dead and that I should wait here. I sat down and began to think on the events of the last 24 hours …the mock trial before the religious leaders of the Sanhedrin; the confrontation with Caiaphas; the trial and subsequent sentence to death by Pilate; the long road to the cross… and the pounding of the hammers as they drove those spikes into His hands and feet. I knew that I would never get that sound out of my ears….and I knew it was time for me to do something that let others know that I loved and believed in this man Jesus.
I had been a coward and afraid of the Jews for far too long…that’s why I had to do this for Jesus …I had to give him the burial that he deserved. The guard returned and not a moment too soon, for the sun was setting and I had to have his body in the tomb before the Sabbath began.
I had told Nicodemus to meet me at the garden, not far from Golgotha’s Hill, and to bring the burial spices and some additional linen. I ran to the cross and the guards, though visibly shaken, helped me remove Christ’s body. My servants and I hurried to the nearby garden and to the new tomb that had just been dug. There, Nicodemus and I bathed our Lord’s body, washing away the blood and the torn flesh that clung to his lifeless corpse. We wept uncontrollably as we saw the pierced hands and feet; taking our time, we placed aloe leaves in the holes and rubbed the myrrh and spices all over His beaten and bruised frame. We began at his feet and gently, lovingly wrapped his entire body in the fine linen, laying more of the aloe leaves and spices in each fold or crevasse of the cloth.
When we had finished, we each kissed him on the cheek and placed the napkin over his head. I looked over my shoulder, to see standing in the doorway, His mother and the other women from Galilee. They stood there sobbing but could not come in … for contact with a dead body would defile them on the eve of the Sabbath. We left the tomb and with the help of Nicodemus and several of my servants, we rolled a stone in front of the doorway to keep out the grave robbers. I told the women that I would come back with them after the Sabbath so they could finish what we had not….and then, with one last parting glance, I left the garden and the place where my Jesus lay…in a cold, dark tomb.
I had done in His death what I had failed to do in His life….tell my Savior that I loved Him. God forgive me for my unbelief!
The manger, the cross and the tomb….three different places…three different experiences…one Loving Savior. Today…HE IS CRUCIFIED ….he hangs upon that cross for his mother…the criminal ….Joseph of Arimathea….and for you and me.
Don’t be like Mary and love a nostalgic Savior ….for He is alive and waiting for you to confirm Him in your life today.
Don’t be like the criminal and wait until the very last second to meet Jesus…he will save you, but that’s a risky way to live…or then die without Him.
Don’t be like Joseph and be too afraid of the “established” powers in your life to let others know that you love and serve a risen Savior.
Today, proclaim that Jesus is yours and you are His….and then you will enjoy the glory and the blessings that belong to Jesus and those that follow Him….and you will celebrate His Resurrection as a new creation in Christ.
Hallelujah…He died for my sins, yet He Lives Forevermore,
WPQ
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Pilate....Clean Conscience or Calloused Heart?
I hate this desolate, barren land. It is worse than a boil on the backside of their wretched camels. Why would I, a captain of Caesars’ very own Elite Guard, end up in a place like this? What could I have possibly done to displease him that would merit such punishment? Governor of this region is certainly not what I was hoping to have as my reward for my last great victory. Surely, my time here will be short and my interactions with these Jews will soon be over.
And yet, here they are again….these weak, insignificant peasants; religious pontificators whining about some homeless prophet that they can’t control. It’s barely daylight and already they would summon me from my slumber to decide the punishment for this Jesus. I should have them all dragged into the palace and made to bow at my feet…it is of no consequence to me that they would be unfit for their Passover feast. But, let’s get this over with so I can get back to more important matters.
I went out to them, into the courtyard and listened as they brought witness after witness to regale how this Jesus had excited the crowds to follow him; had turned out the moneychangers and the livestock from their beloved temple…so I told them to take him and judge him by their puny Jewish laws. They refused since for them it was unlawful to crucify anyone. I found no fault in him; but better to let the local ruler have this on him than me …so I sent him to Herod….and in only a matter of hours, Jesus was standing in front of me again.
So I asked him, “Tell me, are you the King of the Jews?” ...and his answer puzzled me; “Are you asking this of your own accord or have others told you about me?” I told him that I was not a Jew and it didn’t matter to me…. That it was his own nation and High Priest that had brought him to me and that I had the power to have him killed or let him go. He told me that His kingdom was not of this world and when I questioned him about this, he told me that he was here to testify to the truth…whatever that meant, I really wasn’t sure. So, I sought to return him to the Jews for I found no legal grounds on which to condemn him….but they shouted me down and called out to release the rebel, Barabbas, according to the custom of the Passover to release one criminal from bondage.
I sent Jesus away and had the captain of the battalion beat and flog him…they placed a crown of thorns on his head and wrapped a purple cloth around him, all the while mocking him, punching him and asking, “if you are a prophet, tell us who hit you.” I then brought him back before the assembly of the Jewish leaders and the ever-growing crowd and told them once again that I could find no grounds to merit a conviction.
He stood before them, wearing that purple robe and his kingly crown of thorns and I said, “Behold, here is the man!” I was really not prepared for this angry mob as they screamed out … “CRUCIFY HIM, CRUCIFY HIM!” I silenced them and told them to take him away and kill him according to their laws for I found nothing in this man that deserved his death by crucifixion ….but they would not be silenced.
What happened next gave me great pause for concern…they told me that he must die according to their rabbinical law…for he had proclaimed himself to be Son of God. Now, I am a god-fearing man that worships many Gods and I was not willing to take the chance that this man might actually be the son of one of them, so I brought him back into the inner chamber and asked him once again, “Where are you from? Who are you? Are you the Son of God?”…but, he just stood before me and offered nothing in his defense. I reminded him that it was within my powers to release him or to have him crucified, yet he told me that I had no authority over him had it not been given to me from above.
This was not an ordinary man and I did all within my powers to release him…I truly desired to let him go with the beating that he had endured and a strong reprimand not to appear before me again. I took him back to the courtyard with every intention to silence the Jews and to let Jesus go, but they cried out even louder that if I did such a thing, I was no friend of Caesar. I could not let this anarchy go on any longer, for word might return to Rome that I was unable to control these weak-minded Jews…so I presented them with the King, yet they shouted even more, “Away with him. We have no King but Caesar. Crucify Jesus!”
So, I did what was expedient. I called for a basin of water, and there before this angry mob and the gods of Rome, I washed my hands of his innocent blood…then, I gave Jesus over to them so that he should be crucified.
It had to be done. I had no choice. I had sworn an oath to Rome and to Caesar to protect this horrible land and to keep the peace. If I failed to give this mob what they wanted, many would probably die trying to restore order and I would be held responsible for their deaths…but my conscience was clear; I had tried to release Jesus …I had done all that I could to let him go, but my duty to Rome came first. After all, I am a soldier and soldiers follow orders no matter how unpleasant they might be. I did all that was possible that day…his death was not my fault!
Today, is that what you have been telling yourself….that Jesus’ death was NOT YOUR FAULT? It was not your decision to send Him to his death… to have Him bludgeoned to within an inch of his life, nailed to a rugged tree and hung between two thieves. Have you tried to wash his innocent blood from your hands and declare that you, too, have a clear conscience?
If so, you have missed the meaning of the cross….Christ may have chosen the nails, but it was your sins that swung the hammer…you and I were the ones that drove those spikes deep into the flesh of Jesus. God requires that we come to Him, holy and acceptable; Jesus accomplished that for us by giving himself as a blood sacrifice on the cross. Now, we must accept our part in His death….it was our sin that put Him there; it is our pride that keeps us from accepting the fact that WE NEED A SAVIOR!!!!
Don’t let pride keep you from knowing Jesus and accepting what He accomplished for you on Calvary…He is just a heartbeat away ….and so is eternity without Him!
Sorrow-filled for my part … forgiven and forever His,
WPQ
And yet, here they are again….these weak, insignificant peasants; religious pontificators whining about some homeless prophet that they can’t control. It’s barely daylight and already they would summon me from my slumber to decide the punishment for this Jesus. I should have them all dragged into the palace and made to bow at my feet…it is of no consequence to me that they would be unfit for their Passover feast. But, let’s get this over with so I can get back to more important matters.
I went out to them, into the courtyard and listened as they brought witness after witness to regale how this Jesus had excited the crowds to follow him; had turned out the moneychangers and the livestock from their beloved temple…so I told them to take him and judge him by their puny Jewish laws. They refused since for them it was unlawful to crucify anyone. I found no fault in him; but better to let the local ruler have this on him than me …so I sent him to Herod….and in only a matter of hours, Jesus was standing in front of me again.
So I asked him, “Tell me, are you the King of the Jews?” ...and his answer puzzled me; “Are you asking this of your own accord or have others told you about me?” I told him that I was not a Jew and it didn’t matter to me…. That it was his own nation and High Priest that had brought him to me and that I had the power to have him killed or let him go. He told me that His kingdom was not of this world and when I questioned him about this, he told me that he was here to testify to the truth…whatever that meant, I really wasn’t sure. So, I sought to return him to the Jews for I found no legal grounds on which to condemn him….but they shouted me down and called out to release the rebel, Barabbas, according to the custom of the Passover to release one criminal from bondage.
I sent Jesus away and had the captain of the battalion beat and flog him…they placed a crown of thorns on his head and wrapped a purple cloth around him, all the while mocking him, punching him and asking, “if you are a prophet, tell us who hit you.” I then brought him back before the assembly of the Jewish leaders and the ever-growing crowd and told them once again that I could find no grounds to merit a conviction.
He stood before them, wearing that purple robe and his kingly crown of thorns and I said, “Behold, here is the man!” I was really not prepared for this angry mob as they screamed out … “CRUCIFY HIM, CRUCIFY HIM!” I silenced them and told them to take him away and kill him according to their laws for I found nothing in this man that deserved his death by crucifixion ….but they would not be silenced.
What happened next gave me great pause for concern…they told me that he must die according to their rabbinical law…for he had proclaimed himself to be Son of God. Now, I am a god-fearing man that worships many Gods and I was not willing to take the chance that this man might actually be the son of one of them, so I brought him back into the inner chamber and asked him once again, “Where are you from? Who are you? Are you the Son of God?”…but, he just stood before me and offered nothing in his defense. I reminded him that it was within my powers to release him or to have him crucified, yet he told me that I had no authority over him had it not been given to me from above.
This was not an ordinary man and I did all within my powers to release him…I truly desired to let him go with the beating that he had endured and a strong reprimand not to appear before me again. I took him back to the courtyard with every intention to silence the Jews and to let Jesus go, but they cried out even louder that if I did such a thing, I was no friend of Caesar. I could not let this anarchy go on any longer, for word might return to Rome that I was unable to control these weak-minded Jews…so I presented them with the King, yet they shouted even more, “Away with him. We have no King but Caesar. Crucify Jesus!”
So, I did what was expedient. I called for a basin of water, and there before this angry mob and the gods of Rome, I washed my hands of his innocent blood…then, I gave Jesus over to them so that he should be crucified.
It had to be done. I had no choice. I had sworn an oath to Rome and to Caesar to protect this horrible land and to keep the peace. If I failed to give this mob what they wanted, many would probably die trying to restore order and I would be held responsible for their deaths…but my conscience was clear; I had tried to release Jesus …I had done all that I could to let him go, but my duty to Rome came first. After all, I am a soldier and soldiers follow orders no matter how unpleasant they might be. I did all that was possible that day…his death was not my fault!
Today, is that what you have been telling yourself….that Jesus’ death was NOT YOUR FAULT? It was not your decision to send Him to his death… to have Him bludgeoned to within an inch of his life, nailed to a rugged tree and hung between two thieves. Have you tried to wash his innocent blood from your hands and declare that you, too, have a clear conscience?
If so, you have missed the meaning of the cross….Christ may have chosen the nails, but it was your sins that swung the hammer…you and I were the ones that drove those spikes deep into the flesh of Jesus. God requires that we come to Him, holy and acceptable; Jesus accomplished that for us by giving himself as a blood sacrifice on the cross. Now, we must accept our part in His death….it was our sin that put Him there; it is our pride that keeps us from accepting the fact that WE NEED A SAVIOR!!!!
Don’t let pride keep you from knowing Jesus and accepting what He accomplished for you on Calvary…He is just a heartbeat away ….and so is eternity without Him!
Sorrow-filled for my part … forgiven and forever His,
WPQ
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Judas Iscariot…Satan’s Servant or Unwitting Scapegoat?
I have traveled road after dusty road, following this teacher from Galilee …and what has it gotten me….Just dirty feet, blisters and a few coins of little value. And what’s the matter with the rest of the inner circle? We have watched Jesus heal the sick, make the blind to see, cure the leper …even raise Lazarus from the dead. He is wasting his great abilities on the common and unlovely….and he is constantly at odds with the rulers of the Sanhedrin and with Caiaphas, the High Priest. I have a plan that will force his hand …a plan that will cause him to use his powers against those that oppress us and force us to obey foreign and pagan laws. Surely this is not what the great God of our forefathers had intended for this man. If he is the chosen one, the true Messiah of Israel, it’s time he began to act like it and do something to free His people. Yes, a little nudge should be all he needs.
As the Feast of the Passover draws near:
Well, that went better than I expected…the Sanhedrin and the entire Jewish nation will have me to thank in just a few days….and I got 30 pieces of silver for my trouble. I would have been willing to take half as much; but this could be dangerous, especially with the excited crowds Jesus has been drawing. I will be patient and I will deliver him to the High Priest, just as I promised….He’ll never be expecting this. But when he comes into power, Jesus will have me to thank for forcing his hand and I’m sure I will be richly rewarded in his new kingdom…maybe a provincial governor or ruler of some foreign land. I will be rich…no more paltry coins in the collection bag….RICH, RICH …FILTHY RICH.
At the Passover Feast:
Look at him…acting like a servant, washing and drying our feet. Only a few more hours and my plan will begin to emerge …and Jesus will be the ruler of the Jewish nation and all nations will bow before his great and awesome powers. What was that? How could he possibly know that someone is going to betray him…does he know that it is me? No, he couldn’t possibly know. I have been ever so discreet…must be the rising tensions between him and the Sanhedrin that have him on edge. Time to go…I need a diversion…he has given me the dipped bread and told me to go and do quickly what I must. No one will miss me …I’ll just slip out the door into the darkness.
In the Garden:
I know just where he is going after the Passover meal…where he always takes us …across the Kidron valley to the Mount of Olives. I had told this to the Captain of the guard and explained to him that there was no need for so many men. The disciples were unarmed and Jesus surely offered no physical threat. But, I was surrounded by the Palace guard from the High Priest and a full company of Roman soldiers…I had no choice but to proceed as planned. We entered the garden at the south entrance …a small winding trail leads to the top of the Mount. It would be hard for anyone to hear or see us coming under cover of darkness, but it seemed like every one of the soldiers was carrying a lighted torch….it was as bright as noon day. So much for the element of surprise! The Roman centurion led the way and when we arrived, he told the small band of men that we were looking for Jesus the Nazarene.
What happened next caught me fully off-guard. Christ stepped forward and said, “I am He!” and when he did, all of the Roman soldiers and the Palace guard stepped back and fell to the ground. It was as if his words knocked them over and rendered them helpless. But, I stepped forward and gave the agreed upon sign that would signify that they should arrest that man…I kissed Jesus on the cheek….and he looked into my eyes and said, “Judas, my friend, why have you come? Do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
And in that moment, it was all set in motion. They bound Jesus’ hands and feet and literally dragged him down the mountainside. They took him to Caiaphas and they began to pummel his face, to pull out his hair and to spit upon him….and all the while, Christ Jesus did nothing…he did not even speak in his defense. In just a few hours, he stood before Pilate who ordered that he be flogged with 39 lashes, The Roman soldiers hit him, kicked him and spit upon him…they placed a crown of thorns upon his bloody brow….and still; Jesus did nothing. Where were his powers …why did he not strike out at his tormenters and call down fire and brimstone from Heaven? He claimed to be the Son of God, but all he did was to take their abuse and to stand silent before his accusers.
I couldn’t take it any longer. This was not going according to my plan…Jesus was silent as a lamb… being led to slaughter….and it was all my fault. I had sold him out for thirty pieces of silver and the desire to be great in his kingdom. Instead, all I could do was to stand hopelessly by and watch as they led him away to be crucified. I ran as fast as I could back to the Election hall and threw the money at the feet of the chief priest and the elders. I begged them to forgive me for my sin of betraying innocent blood…they laughed at me and told me it was not their concern.
I knew at that moment,I had lost it all…Jesus would die because of my greed, arrogance and selfish desires. A man who had loved me and called me one of his chosen, I had sold to be crucified for 30 pieces of silver…I was not fit to live, so I did the only thing I knew…I took my own life …for it was a life not worth saving.
Maybe, you have come to that conclusion today…with all the sin and mistakes, the betrayal and the callous, selfish attitude you have toward Jesus. Maybe, you too, see a life that is not worth saving…but that’s not what Jesus sees. In fact, your sin-filled life is the very reason He went to that cross…the only reason He would have chosen the nails….so that you could ask for His forgiveness and have your sin debt paid by His shed blood.
The choice is really quite simple; you can ignore what Jesus has done for you or you can accept His offer of love and forgiveness that was bought and paid for on the Cross of Calvary. If you know Jesus as your personal Savior, then this week is a week of celebration as we, those that love and follow Him, anticipate His resurrection. If not, then your fate is the same as Judas Iscariot….hopelessly lost, awaiting the coming Judgment.
I pray that you will come to know my Jesus this Easter …and that in Him; you will know a life, complete and full of promise.
Forgiven…by His shed blood,
WPQ
As the Feast of the Passover draws near:
Well, that went better than I expected…the Sanhedrin and the entire Jewish nation will have me to thank in just a few days….and I got 30 pieces of silver for my trouble. I would have been willing to take half as much; but this could be dangerous, especially with the excited crowds Jesus has been drawing. I will be patient and I will deliver him to the High Priest, just as I promised….He’ll never be expecting this. But when he comes into power, Jesus will have me to thank for forcing his hand and I’m sure I will be richly rewarded in his new kingdom…maybe a provincial governor or ruler of some foreign land. I will be rich…no more paltry coins in the collection bag….RICH, RICH …FILTHY RICH.
At the Passover Feast:
Look at him…acting like a servant, washing and drying our feet. Only a few more hours and my plan will begin to emerge …and Jesus will be the ruler of the Jewish nation and all nations will bow before his great and awesome powers. What was that? How could he possibly know that someone is going to betray him…does he know that it is me? No, he couldn’t possibly know. I have been ever so discreet…must be the rising tensions between him and the Sanhedrin that have him on edge. Time to go…I need a diversion…he has given me the dipped bread and told me to go and do quickly what I must. No one will miss me …I’ll just slip out the door into the darkness.
In the Garden:
I know just where he is going after the Passover meal…where he always takes us …across the Kidron valley to the Mount of Olives. I had told this to the Captain of the guard and explained to him that there was no need for so many men. The disciples were unarmed and Jesus surely offered no physical threat. But, I was surrounded by the Palace guard from the High Priest and a full company of Roman soldiers…I had no choice but to proceed as planned. We entered the garden at the south entrance …a small winding trail leads to the top of the Mount. It would be hard for anyone to hear or see us coming under cover of darkness, but it seemed like every one of the soldiers was carrying a lighted torch….it was as bright as noon day. So much for the element of surprise! The Roman centurion led the way and when we arrived, he told the small band of men that we were looking for Jesus the Nazarene.
What happened next caught me fully off-guard. Christ stepped forward and said, “I am He!” and when he did, all of the Roman soldiers and the Palace guard stepped back and fell to the ground. It was as if his words knocked them over and rendered them helpless. But, I stepped forward and gave the agreed upon sign that would signify that they should arrest that man…I kissed Jesus on the cheek….and he looked into my eyes and said, “Judas, my friend, why have you come? Do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
And in that moment, it was all set in motion. They bound Jesus’ hands and feet and literally dragged him down the mountainside. They took him to Caiaphas and they began to pummel his face, to pull out his hair and to spit upon him….and all the while, Christ Jesus did nothing…he did not even speak in his defense. In just a few hours, he stood before Pilate who ordered that he be flogged with 39 lashes, The Roman soldiers hit him, kicked him and spit upon him…they placed a crown of thorns upon his bloody brow….and still; Jesus did nothing. Where were his powers …why did he not strike out at his tormenters and call down fire and brimstone from Heaven? He claimed to be the Son of God, but all he did was to take their abuse and to stand silent before his accusers.
I couldn’t take it any longer. This was not going according to my plan…Jesus was silent as a lamb… being led to slaughter….and it was all my fault. I had sold him out for thirty pieces of silver and the desire to be great in his kingdom. Instead, all I could do was to stand hopelessly by and watch as they led him away to be crucified. I ran as fast as I could back to the Election hall and threw the money at the feet of the chief priest and the elders. I begged them to forgive me for my sin of betraying innocent blood…they laughed at me and told me it was not their concern.
I knew at that moment,I had lost it all…Jesus would die because of my greed, arrogance and selfish desires. A man who had loved me and called me one of his chosen, I had sold to be crucified for 30 pieces of silver…I was not fit to live, so I did the only thing I knew…I took my own life …for it was a life not worth saving.
Maybe, you have come to that conclusion today…with all the sin and mistakes, the betrayal and the callous, selfish attitude you have toward Jesus. Maybe, you too, see a life that is not worth saving…but that’s not what Jesus sees. In fact, your sin-filled life is the very reason He went to that cross…the only reason He would have chosen the nails….so that you could ask for His forgiveness and have your sin debt paid by His shed blood.
The choice is really quite simple; you can ignore what Jesus has done for you or you can accept His offer of love and forgiveness that was bought and paid for on the Cross of Calvary. If you know Jesus as your personal Savior, then this week is a week of celebration as we, those that love and follow Him, anticipate His resurrection. If not, then your fate is the same as Judas Iscariot….hopelessly lost, awaiting the coming Judgment.
I pray that you will come to know my Jesus this Easter …and that in Him; you will know a life, complete and full of promise.
Forgiven…by His shed blood,
WPQ
Monday, March 29, 2010
Annas and Caiaphas …The Holy Priesthood
Annas recalls...
I’m still not sure why they brought Jesus to me in the first place. I am an old, tired man and I am so weary of the Pharisees and their timidities. This Jesus is a crowd-pleaser, a cheap magician with pleasing tricks. If they would just ignore him, pay him no attention; he would soon be forgotten. But each day in the temple complex, they plot as to how they might bring about his demise. In my day, we knew how to deal with such rift-raft…we took them outside the city gates and stoned them to death; then left their rotting corpses for the buzzards and the Roman guard to dispose of. But, Caiaphas, my son-in-law, is still new to this game and I don’t believe he is aware of just how much power he holds as the High Priest. He is the leader of God’s chosen; though oppressed and downtrodden, we are still to claim our position of power in dealing with those that would subvert our culture…and this Jesus, he has surely done just that. Teaching them to turn the other cheek; to walk the second mile; treating women with love, dignity and compassion…over turning my money tables in the temple and driving out my people. Well, now the tables are turned….send him to Caiaphas, let see if he will do the right thing and get rid of this man …once and for all.
Caiaphas remembers....
I had been awakened from a troubled slumber to hear the voice of the High Priest’s guard announce that they had Jesus; bound and waiting for me in the courtyard. I had already dispatched a number of the guards to call an emergency meeting of the Sanhedrin; for when Caiaphas, the High Priest calls, they drop everything and come. Surely, time was of the essence if we were to meet our objective to judge, convict and turn over Jesus to the Roman governor for his sentence of execution. I had already set aside the Mishnah and its Jewish laws…desperate times call for desperate measures….after all, we had to silence this Jesus before the people followed him in open rebellion and brought down the wrath of the entire Roman Empire. If that were to occur, we would be displaced as the rulers of our people and nothing of our way of life as God’s elect would remain. I had said it before and it was even clearer after the events of the past week, “it is to our advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.”
We had been conspiring for weeks to bring Jesus to Jewish justice, but he had been elusive and the timing had never been good, especially since his triumphal entry last week; but now, if we hurried, we could have Jesus tried before Pilate, sentenced and crucified at the hands of the Romans and there would be no repercussions against us.
It was the perfect way to be rid of the Nazarene …once and for all!
I questioned him; heard the testimony of the eye-witnesses regarding him destroying our sacred temple and rebuilding it in three days…and then, I asked him, point blank, “tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?’
I still can’t believe what he said; “You have said it. But I tell you in the future, you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Immediately, I cried out and began to rent my robes, to wail and to claw my flesh. I denounced his blasphemous statement and cried out to the Sanhedrin for their decision…their answer was clear and without reservation….HE MUST DIE.
So, I did what needed to be done…I sent him away to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. There he would be tried and found guilty for crimes against Rome. We would have to pressure Pilate for a speedy crucifixion for the Sabbath was approaching and the Passover crowds were large and the people were still celebrating. All this would have to be done quickly… before the throngs of those following Jesus had time to mount any type of movement against the will of the Sanhedrin. It is best that one man dies ….then a nation and its leaders can breathe easier …God Bless the will of His People.
Are you an Annas or Caiaphas in your relationship with Jesus? Do you see his teachings as a conflict or a constriction on your actions? These men were each living for themselves …though their pompous and pious attitude let them think that they were doing what was best for God’s chosen elect. In simple fact, they were sinners…blinded to the truth of God’s infinite grace and they chose to inflict their blindness on the Jewish nation. They had power, prestige and a perverted sense of God’s will….and their decisions cost a nation the opportunity to embrace their Messiah.
Don’t let someone you know, possibly someone you hold in high esteem, keep you from meeting the Savior today. Their intentions may be good; but good intentions never got anyone into heaven….and they never will!
Only a personal relationship with the risen Lord Jesus will guarantee you a written invitation to attend the celestial celebration we call heaven….your invitation is from this man Jesus …He died and rose again and now sits at the right hand of the Father…and His invitation is just one word….COME!!!!!
Come to Jesus…and be Blessed Beyond Measure,
WPQ
I’m still not sure why they brought Jesus to me in the first place. I am an old, tired man and I am so weary of the Pharisees and their timidities. This Jesus is a crowd-pleaser, a cheap magician with pleasing tricks. If they would just ignore him, pay him no attention; he would soon be forgotten. But each day in the temple complex, they plot as to how they might bring about his demise. In my day, we knew how to deal with such rift-raft…we took them outside the city gates and stoned them to death; then left their rotting corpses for the buzzards and the Roman guard to dispose of. But, Caiaphas, my son-in-law, is still new to this game and I don’t believe he is aware of just how much power he holds as the High Priest. He is the leader of God’s chosen; though oppressed and downtrodden, we are still to claim our position of power in dealing with those that would subvert our culture…and this Jesus, he has surely done just that. Teaching them to turn the other cheek; to walk the second mile; treating women with love, dignity and compassion…over turning my money tables in the temple and driving out my people. Well, now the tables are turned….send him to Caiaphas, let see if he will do the right thing and get rid of this man …once and for all.
Caiaphas remembers....
I had been awakened from a troubled slumber to hear the voice of the High Priest’s guard announce that they had Jesus; bound and waiting for me in the courtyard. I had already dispatched a number of the guards to call an emergency meeting of the Sanhedrin; for when Caiaphas, the High Priest calls, they drop everything and come. Surely, time was of the essence if we were to meet our objective to judge, convict and turn over Jesus to the Roman governor for his sentence of execution. I had already set aside the Mishnah and its Jewish laws…desperate times call for desperate measures….after all, we had to silence this Jesus before the people followed him in open rebellion and brought down the wrath of the entire Roman Empire. If that were to occur, we would be displaced as the rulers of our people and nothing of our way of life as God’s elect would remain. I had said it before and it was even clearer after the events of the past week, “it is to our advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.”
We had been conspiring for weeks to bring Jesus to Jewish justice, but he had been elusive and the timing had never been good, especially since his triumphal entry last week; but now, if we hurried, we could have Jesus tried before Pilate, sentenced and crucified at the hands of the Romans and there would be no repercussions against us.
It was the perfect way to be rid of the Nazarene …once and for all!
I questioned him; heard the testimony of the eye-witnesses regarding him destroying our sacred temple and rebuilding it in three days…and then, I asked him, point blank, “tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?’
I still can’t believe what he said; “You have said it. But I tell you in the future, you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Immediately, I cried out and began to rent my robes, to wail and to claw my flesh. I denounced his blasphemous statement and cried out to the Sanhedrin for their decision…their answer was clear and without reservation….HE MUST DIE.
So, I did what needed to be done…I sent him away to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. There he would be tried and found guilty for crimes against Rome. We would have to pressure Pilate for a speedy crucifixion for the Sabbath was approaching and the Passover crowds were large and the people were still celebrating. All this would have to be done quickly… before the throngs of those following Jesus had time to mount any type of movement against the will of the Sanhedrin. It is best that one man dies ….then a nation and its leaders can breathe easier …God Bless the will of His People.
Are you an Annas or Caiaphas in your relationship with Jesus? Do you see his teachings as a conflict or a constriction on your actions? These men were each living for themselves …though their pompous and pious attitude let them think that they were doing what was best for God’s chosen elect. In simple fact, they were sinners…blinded to the truth of God’s infinite grace and they chose to inflict their blindness on the Jewish nation. They had power, prestige and a perverted sense of God’s will….and their decisions cost a nation the opportunity to embrace their Messiah.
Don’t let someone you know, possibly someone you hold in high esteem, keep you from meeting the Savior today. Their intentions may be good; but good intentions never got anyone into heaven….and they never will!
Only a personal relationship with the risen Lord Jesus will guarantee you a written invitation to attend the celestial celebration we call heaven….your invitation is from this man Jesus …He died and rose again and now sits at the right hand of the Father…and His invitation is just one word….COME!!!!!
Come to Jesus…and be Blessed Beyond Measure,
WPQ
Friday, March 26, 2010
The Cast of the Crucifixion…Peter
Today, as I look at my day planner, it is evident that we are a week away from Good Friday....a high and holy day in the calendar of a Christian believer. As we begin to think about the significance of that day, I want us to take a look at the Cast of the Crucifixion and examine our own hearts...what part did we play in the horrible death of Jesus...what member of this band of players do we most identify with in our lives today? Good questions each...but maybe, more importantly, do we recognize that it was our sins(and our sins alone) that nailed Jesus to that horrible cross...let us begin with one of Jesus' very own disciples...the Rock known as Peter.
I couldn’t believe that I could treat my Jesus like that …what happened…what went so miserably wrong that I would deny and forsake him; turn my back and run away….I should suffer the same fate as Judas Iscariot, but I’m too much of a coward to die at my own hand.
It had only been a week ago that Jesus sent John and me into the village to find the young donkey. It was tethered there, just as Jesus said, and when we told the owner that Jesus had need of it, he gladly gave it to us. We placed our cloaks upon it and Jesus rode upon the back of the young foal as the crowd cheered wildly and lay their coats and palm branches across the road saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” And now, less than a week later, they cried out, “Away with Him! Crucify Him!”
And then, there was the Passover meal that we shared in that upper room…as we sat down to eat, Christ arose and girded himself with a cloth and began to wash our feet. When he came to me, I arrogantly announced that he would never wash my feet. Then, he lovingly told me that if he didn’t wash me I would have no part with him…so I proudly proclaimed that he should wash all of me. He told us later, after the meal that he was going away and that, for now, we could not follow. But once again, I proclaimed my love and desire to follow him …even unto death; but, he lovingly told me that on that very night I would deny him three times.
I failed him again …in the garden. There in the darkness, Judas Iscariot showed up with the Palace guard and a company of Roman soldiers. They said they were searching for Jesus the Nazarene and when they took hold of him, I drew my sword to smite them…I was not one to run from a fight; but again, Jesus gently rebuked me and told me that he must drink the cup that His Father had given him and there should be no more of this…and then, he healed the servant’s severed ear.
Oh, but my greatest failure was the one that Jesus had predicted before we left that upper room….that I would deny Him. After they seized him and led him away, I followed in the shadows…not close enough to be noticed, but I could not forsake Him after all he had done for me. We arrived in the courtyard of the high priest’s house and they built a fire. As I sought to warm myself, a young servant woman looked closely at me and declared that I was one of his followers …but I denied that I knew him. The rooster began to crow to announce the coming of day. A few moments later, someone else saw me and said. “He’s one of them too!” I vehemently denied that I was one of his followers and thought that would be the end of it. As I walked round and round the fire, peering into the house, straining to hear what was happening to Jesus, another man, a relative of the servant whose ear I had cut off, exclaimed, “You were with that man. I’m sure I saw you in the garden with him this very night. You are certainly one of them, since you are also a Galilean.” But I started to curse and to swear with an oath that I never knew the man that they were talking about….and then, it happened….the rooster crowed the second time….and it all came crashing in on me. I ran and I ran into the fleeting darkness as dawn began to make its arrival known…tears streamed down my face as my breathing became labored and strained. I sobbed uncontrollably ….how could this have happened to me…for I am Peter, the one that the Messiah said he would built his church upon that even the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Yet, I had betrayed my Jesus by denying that I ever knew him …that He ever had a position of love and authority in my life.
I wanted to die, but instead I ran away and hid in fear and expectation that they would soon come after me. Within hours, Christ had stood before Pilate, been sentenced to death and had been crucified upon the cross….and while all this took place, I was in hiding with the other disciples. Our world had ended and I was the most miserable one of all…I had denied the one that loved me and called me out to make me one of his chosen…and I had failed him when He needed me most. And now, it was over and I would forever carry that guilt and shame with me …I could never ask my Christ to forgive me for He was gone.
Maybe, today, you see yourself as Peter saw himself, just hours after he had denied that he knew Jesus. You call Jesus your friend, your Savior, even Lord and Master; but there are too many times that you are called upon to make Him known in your world and you pull a Peter…you deny that you love him or that He has the position of love and authority in your life. You have had countless times in many situations to speak up and live out your witness for Jesus Christ; but, too many times, your actions, as well as your words (or lack of them) deny that you belong to Him. You can do as Peter and carry that guilt and shame around with you …or you can be restored by the love and grace that was Peter’s after our Lord arose. You can follow the risen Lord and FEED HIS SHEEP (John 21:15-19).
Today, that choice is yours and yours alone. No one knows the times you have failed to let others see that you belong to Jesus….only you and Jesus know….and He’s not telling.
But, He is waiting for you to ask for His forgiveness…. and then He is ready, willing and able to equip you with a bold love and a loose tongue that gladly proclaims that you know the man from Galilee. May you always be ready to speak His name and share His love….for there’s no denying that He loves you and gave his life for you.
Loved and proclaiming it,
WPQ
I couldn’t believe that I could treat my Jesus like that …what happened…what went so miserably wrong that I would deny and forsake him; turn my back and run away….I should suffer the same fate as Judas Iscariot, but I’m too much of a coward to die at my own hand.
It had only been a week ago that Jesus sent John and me into the village to find the young donkey. It was tethered there, just as Jesus said, and when we told the owner that Jesus had need of it, he gladly gave it to us. We placed our cloaks upon it and Jesus rode upon the back of the young foal as the crowd cheered wildly and lay their coats and palm branches across the road saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” And now, less than a week later, they cried out, “Away with Him! Crucify Him!”
And then, there was the Passover meal that we shared in that upper room…as we sat down to eat, Christ arose and girded himself with a cloth and began to wash our feet. When he came to me, I arrogantly announced that he would never wash my feet. Then, he lovingly told me that if he didn’t wash me I would have no part with him…so I proudly proclaimed that he should wash all of me. He told us later, after the meal that he was going away and that, for now, we could not follow. But once again, I proclaimed my love and desire to follow him …even unto death; but, he lovingly told me that on that very night I would deny him three times.
I failed him again …in the garden. There in the darkness, Judas Iscariot showed up with the Palace guard and a company of Roman soldiers. They said they were searching for Jesus the Nazarene and when they took hold of him, I drew my sword to smite them…I was not one to run from a fight; but again, Jesus gently rebuked me and told me that he must drink the cup that His Father had given him and there should be no more of this…and then, he healed the servant’s severed ear.
Oh, but my greatest failure was the one that Jesus had predicted before we left that upper room….that I would deny Him. After they seized him and led him away, I followed in the shadows…not close enough to be noticed, but I could not forsake Him after all he had done for me. We arrived in the courtyard of the high priest’s house and they built a fire. As I sought to warm myself, a young servant woman looked closely at me and declared that I was one of his followers …but I denied that I knew him. The rooster began to crow to announce the coming of day. A few moments later, someone else saw me and said. “He’s one of them too!” I vehemently denied that I was one of his followers and thought that would be the end of it. As I walked round and round the fire, peering into the house, straining to hear what was happening to Jesus, another man, a relative of the servant whose ear I had cut off, exclaimed, “You were with that man. I’m sure I saw you in the garden with him this very night. You are certainly one of them, since you are also a Galilean.” But I started to curse and to swear with an oath that I never knew the man that they were talking about….and then, it happened….the rooster crowed the second time….and it all came crashing in on me. I ran and I ran into the fleeting darkness as dawn began to make its arrival known…tears streamed down my face as my breathing became labored and strained. I sobbed uncontrollably ….how could this have happened to me…for I am Peter, the one that the Messiah said he would built his church upon that even the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Yet, I had betrayed my Jesus by denying that I ever knew him …that He ever had a position of love and authority in my life.
I wanted to die, but instead I ran away and hid in fear and expectation that they would soon come after me. Within hours, Christ had stood before Pilate, been sentenced to death and had been crucified upon the cross….and while all this took place, I was in hiding with the other disciples. Our world had ended and I was the most miserable one of all…I had denied the one that loved me and called me out to make me one of his chosen…and I had failed him when He needed me most. And now, it was over and I would forever carry that guilt and shame with me …I could never ask my Christ to forgive me for He was gone.
Maybe, today, you see yourself as Peter saw himself, just hours after he had denied that he knew Jesus. You call Jesus your friend, your Savior, even Lord and Master; but there are too many times that you are called upon to make Him known in your world and you pull a Peter…you deny that you love him or that He has the position of love and authority in your life. You have had countless times in many situations to speak up and live out your witness for Jesus Christ; but, too many times, your actions, as well as your words (or lack of them) deny that you belong to Him. You can do as Peter and carry that guilt and shame around with you …or you can be restored by the love and grace that was Peter’s after our Lord arose. You can follow the risen Lord and FEED HIS SHEEP (John 21:15-19).
Today, that choice is yours and yours alone. No one knows the times you have failed to let others see that you belong to Jesus….only you and Jesus know….and He’s not telling.
But, He is waiting for you to ask for His forgiveness…. and then He is ready, willing and able to equip you with a bold love and a loose tongue that gladly proclaims that you know the man from Galilee. May you always be ready to speak His name and share His love….for there’s no denying that He loves you and gave his life for you.
Loved and proclaiming it,
WPQ
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
You Gotta Rock the Boat Before You Walk on Water…
Now, I’m something of an expert when it comes to the title of today’s topic…not that I have ever walked on water; but, I sure have rocked the boat on more than one occasion.
It all goes back to my days in the Navy when I served as a helmsman for the motor whaleboat….a small, motorized craft about 20 feet or so that was used to carry the crew and more importantly, our commanding officer, from ship to shore. I worked along side a good friend of mine by the name of Tiny, a rather robust young man at 6’ 6” and 285 pounds. Tiny was a Boatswain Mate Third Class and in charge of the motor whaleboat and the crew that ferried our shipmates to our port-of-call. I had the good fortune of being assigned to his detail and I learned a great deal from him, especially when it came to getting in and out of the boat.
The first time I was assigned duty on the launch, I proceeded to climb in the boat with little knowledge of where I should place my feet or how to move forward from the aft to the bow of this small vessel. Unfortunately, that lack of knowledge deposited me into the harbor and ruined my freshly-starched uniform…Tiny had a big laugh and I had to go back aboard the ship and change into another uniform. I never forgot what Tiny taught me regarding the boarding and unboarding of our craft…..and although, I often rocked the boat coming and going, I never fell in again.
I share this story because of the kinship it provides me with my favorite disciple, Peter and his story in Matthew 14:26-32 ….it is here, where Peter sees the Lord, walking on the water in the midst of a terrible storm.
We all know this story and too often, each of us may have chided Peter because of his failure to successfully navigate the stormy waters. It seems that after climbing out of the boat, as he begins to walk toward the Master, Peter is overcome by the wind and the swirling seas and he begins to sink. Jesus, in His loving spirit, takes hold of his hand and lifts him out of the raging seas and says, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
It seems that Peter has failed…but, let’s examine this from a different vantage point. All the disciples where present…they all thought they had seen a ghost…they all feared for their collective lives …and they all had the same opportunity to rock the boat….that is, anyone of them could have called out to Jesus and said as Peter, “Lord, if it is you, command me to leave the boat (my addition) and to come to you on the water.”
But it was only Peter that was willing to risk the savage sea and the wild winds …only Peter was willing to rock the boat and step out in faith to meet his Lord in the storm. He was willing to leave what little security this tiny vessel offered and walk forward, climb over the bow and lower himself into the cold, dark sea. No one offered a helping hand or even an encouraging word but our Lord….and He simply said, “COME!”
It is true that Peter’s step of faith left him soaked to the bone and maybe, somehow his lack of faith diminished him in the eyes of the other disciples; but in the eyes of the Lord, though disappointed in the overall outcome, I’m sure Jesus was once again encouraged that Peter was on his way to becoming the man that He knew he could be….a man for all seasons.
And the same can be said for you and me, if we are willing to rock the boat and heed the Master’s call to come….to step out of our comfort zone….to dare to be all that He has called us to be.
We may falter and fall short of God’s desire for our lives….we may disappoint Him as doubts and fears creep into the fabric of our faith….but He will lovingly extend His nail-scarred hand and lift us out of the tempest-tossed seas of our lives and put us back into the boat ….and then the storms will cease and He will once again plant us firmly upon the shore....safe and secure….for He alone is the Son of God.
I encourage you today with this….
Don’t fear the storms of life as you sail through them….rather trust the Son of God, Jesus Christ ...then you will have the blessed assurance that you will arrive safely home to spend eternity with Him. Until then,
Keep rocking the boat…Expecting to walk on water,
WPQ
It all goes back to my days in the Navy when I served as a helmsman for the motor whaleboat….a small, motorized craft about 20 feet or so that was used to carry the crew and more importantly, our commanding officer, from ship to shore. I worked along side a good friend of mine by the name of Tiny, a rather robust young man at 6’ 6” and 285 pounds. Tiny was a Boatswain Mate Third Class and in charge of the motor whaleboat and the crew that ferried our shipmates to our port-of-call. I had the good fortune of being assigned to his detail and I learned a great deal from him, especially when it came to getting in and out of the boat.
The first time I was assigned duty on the launch, I proceeded to climb in the boat with little knowledge of where I should place my feet or how to move forward from the aft to the bow of this small vessel. Unfortunately, that lack of knowledge deposited me into the harbor and ruined my freshly-starched uniform…Tiny had a big laugh and I had to go back aboard the ship and change into another uniform. I never forgot what Tiny taught me regarding the boarding and unboarding of our craft…..and although, I often rocked the boat coming and going, I never fell in again.
I share this story because of the kinship it provides me with my favorite disciple, Peter and his story in Matthew 14:26-32 ….it is here, where Peter sees the Lord, walking on the water in the midst of a terrible storm.
We all know this story and too often, each of us may have chided Peter because of his failure to successfully navigate the stormy waters. It seems that after climbing out of the boat, as he begins to walk toward the Master, Peter is overcome by the wind and the swirling seas and he begins to sink. Jesus, in His loving spirit, takes hold of his hand and lifts him out of the raging seas and says, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
It seems that Peter has failed…but, let’s examine this from a different vantage point. All the disciples where present…they all thought they had seen a ghost…they all feared for their collective lives …and they all had the same opportunity to rock the boat….that is, anyone of them could have called out to Jesus and said as Peter, “Lord, if it is you, command me to leave the boat (my addition) and to come to you on the water.”
But it was only Peter that was willing to risk the savage sea and the wild winds …only Peter was willing to rock the boat and step out in faith to meet his Lord in the storm. He was willing to leave what little security this tiny vessel offered and walk forward, climb over the bow and lower himself into the cold, dark sea. No one offered a helping hand or even an encouraging word but our Lord….and He simply said, “COME!”
It is true that Peter’s step of faith left him soaked to the bone and maybe, somehow his lack of faith diminished him in the eyes of the other disciples; but in the eyes of the Lord, though disappointed in the overall outcome, I’m sure Jesus was once again encouraged that Peter was on his way to becoming the man that He knew he could be….a man for all seasons.
And the same can be said for you and me, if we are willing to rock the boat and heed the Master’s call to come….to step out of our comfort zone….to dare to be all that He has called us to be.
We may falter and fall short of God’s desire for our lives….we may disappoint Him as doubts and fears creep into the fabric of our faith….but He will lovingly extend His nail-scarred hand and lift us out of the tempest-tossed seas of our lives and put us back into the boat ….and then the storms will cease and He will once again plant us firmly upon the shore....safe and secure….for He alone is the Son of God.
I encourage you today with this….
Don’t fear the storms of life as you sail through them….rather trust the Son of God, Jesus Christ ...then you will have the blessed assurance that you will arrive safely home to spend eternity with Him. Until then,
Keep rocking the boat…Expecting to walk on water,
WPQ
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
A FEW BAD APPLES…
We left off yesterday with 10 of the spies stirring up the Israelites with the tales of the giants that inhabited the land of Canaan…let’s continue in Numbers 14.
“That night all the people in the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly said, “If only we had died in Egypt or in this desert! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt? We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” Numbers 14: 11-2, 4
Why did the Israelites consider returning to Egypt? Well, for one reason, it was not that far removed from them. Though it had been a time of great suffering, how quickly they had forgotten the hardships that had been their affliction. Their lack of faith and trust in the Lord brought them to the quick conclusion that they would rather return to Egypt than trust the Lord to deliver them as conquerors over the inhabitants of Canaan.
Secondly, it only took a few “bad apples to spoil the entire bunch”….to stir the crowd into such a frenzy that they wanted to stone Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb. The bad report of these leaders blinded the Israelites to the power of their God and wiped their memories of past victories that had been theirs. God had continually cared for them and had already given them his assurance that He would be with them and provide them a homeland that was “flowing with milk and honey.”
As you can imagine, God was NOT PLEASED. He told Moses that He would send a plague that would destroy them; however, once again, that great man of God, Moses, fell on his face before the Lord and begged for mercy….and once again, God forgave the Israelites for their disobedience and lack of faith.
The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs that I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me 10 times (there’s that number of times God forgave) …not one of them will ever see the land I promised on an oath to their forefathers. No one who has ever treated me with contempt will ever see it.” Numbers 14:20-23
So, God granted their grumblings and let them wander in the desert for 40 years… until every one that had complained and wept aloud received their desire…to die in that desert!
And the same holds true for you and me when we gripe, complain and moan about the unfairness of life or the lack of God’s faithfulness. It is in these times that God leaves us to our own designs and allows us to wallow in our own grumblings. He may forgive us, but there will be consequences to our lack of faith and our poor vision of God’s infinite provision.
If we are believers, then we are called to remain steadfast and trust in God to make us the overcomers He has called us to be….for He is faithful, unwavering and unchanging…So, whenever you encounter a rough patch in life, do what I do...just take a moment to think back and you will ALWAYS recall a time of God’s divine intervention and the blessings that followed.
But there’s still a question that remains unanswered …What happened to those “few bad apples’ that sent the Jewish nation into such an uproar?
Numbers 14:36-38 gives us that answer; “So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it; these men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord. Of the men who went to explore, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.”
So remember, when God places you in a position of leadership, you have one of two choices….you can be a “bad apple that spoils the entire bushel” or you can be “the pinch of leaven that makes the entire loaf rise”….the choice is yours…. and the results of your decision can have earthly, as well as, eternal consequences.
Striving to be an encourager,
WPQ
“That night all the people in the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly said, “If only we had died in Egypt or in this desert! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt? We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” Numbers 14: 11-2, 4
Why did the Israelites consider returning to Egypt? Well, for one reason, it was not that far removed from them. Though it had been a time of great suffering, how quickly they had forgotten the hardships that had been their affliction. Their lack of faith and trust in the Lord brought them to the quick conclusion that they would rather return to Egypt than trust the Lord to deliver them as conquerors over the inhabitants of Canaan.
Secondly, it only took a few “bad apples to spoil the entire bunch”….to stir the crowd into such a frenzy that they wanted to stone Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb. The bad report of these leaders blinded the Israelites to the power of their God and wiped their memories of past victories that had been theirs. God had continually cared for them and had already given them his assurance that He would be with them and provide them a homeland that was “flowing with milk and honey.”
As you can imagine, God was NOT PLEASED. He told Moses that He would send a plague that would destroy them; however, once again, that great man of God, Moses, fell on his face before the Lord and begged for mercy….and once again, God forgave the Israelites for their disobedience and lack of faith.
The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs that I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me 10 times (there’s that number of times God forgave) …not one of them will ever see the land I promised on an oath to their forefathers. No one who has ever treated me with contempt will ever see it.” Numbers 14:20-23
So, God granted their grumblings and let them wander in the desert for 40 years… until every one that had complained and wept aloud received their desire…to die in that desert!
And the same holds true for you and me when we gripe, complain and moan about the unfairness of life or the lack of God’s faithfulness. It is in these times that God leaves us to our own designs and allows us to wallow in our own grumblings. He may forgive us, but there will be consequences to our lack of faith and our poor vision of God’s infinite provision.
If we are believers, then we are called to remain steadfast and trust in God to make us the overcomers He has called us to be….for He is faithful, unwavering and unchanging…So, whenever you encounter a rough patch in life, do what I do...just take a moment to think back and you will ALWAYS recall a time of God’s divine intervention and the blessings that followed.
But there’s still a question that remains unanswered …What happened to those “few bad apples’ that sent the Jewish nation into such an uproar?
Numbers 14:36-38 gives us that answer; “So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it; these men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord. Of the men who went to explore, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.”
So remember, when God places you in a position of leadership, you have one of two choices….you can be a “bad apple that spoils the entire bushel” or you can be “the pinch of leaven that makes the entire loaf rise”….the choice is yours…. and the results of your decision can have earthly, as well as, eternal consequences.
Striving to be an encourager,
WPQ
Monday, March 22, 2010
A Matter of Vision
My quiet times, recently, have me studying in the Old Testament book of Numbers. Now I have often wondered why this book was named Numbers…. Was it because of the number of times the Israelites tried the Lord’s patience or the number of times He forgave them their transgressions? I'm sure there is an answer to that question…but let’s save that for another time.
Today, I want to focus on the return of the spies from their scouting duties in the land of Canaan. If you remember the story in Numbers 13:1-25, Moses hand-picked twelve men to journey into the land of Canaan to scope out this “land promised to the Israelites by the hand of God.” Moses gave them a query of things they were to assess on their mission and told them to bring back a sample of the fruit of the land…after all, it was time for the grape harvest!
So, off they went to explore the entire region; and, at the end of forty days, with a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes that hung on a pole being carried by two men….they returned. Here’s the rest of the story…
“They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account. “We went into the land to which you sent us and it does INDEED flow with milk and honey. Here is its fruit. BUT….(Numbers 13:26-27)
And that’s where the trouble began…right after the BUT. If they would have just continued to trust in the word of the Lord; in the leadership of his chosen spokesman, Moses; in the promise of a God that had never failed them or abandoned them in their time of distress or need….instead they trusted what they could see…as we continue to read in verse 28, “But the people who live there are powerful and their cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.”
They continued to lament how it would be impossible to overtake the Amalekites, Jebusites, Amorites and Canaannites who inhabited the land. But one of the explorers, Caleb, stepped forward to silence the people and proclaimed, “We should go up and take possession of this land, for we can certainly do it. But, the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than us.”
And that’s the difference …both the naysayers and Caleb saw the same things. Both stood with a large pole of a single cluster of grapes before them….both saw the size of the people living in the land…however; one was using heavenly vision and the others only saw the weakness of themselves as no match for the giants in the land.
What about you? When God has given you a mission or has set before you a test of faith…how do you see it? Are you empowered by your Heavenly Father to accomplish His will for your life or are you weak and powerless as you face the giants of inadequacies, confusion and despair?
You can’t move the mountain on your own…BUT (there’s that little word again) …NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR GOD….for when He is for us, who can possibly stand against us? No One …NO WAY….NO HOW!!!!!
IT’S ALL A MATTER OF VISION….Seeing before you what God can and will accomplish when you surrender to Him and trust His word….Heavenly Vision ….ask for it by name…..and come back tomorrow for the rest of this heart-breaking story.
Looking through my faith to catch a glimpse of Him,
WPQ
Today, I want to focus on the return of the spies from their scouting duties in the land of Canaan. If you remember the story in Numbers 13:1-25, Moses hand-picked twelve men to journey into the land of Canaan to scope out this “land promised to the Israelites by the hand of God.” Moses gave them a query of things they were to assess on their mission and told them to bring back a sample of the fruit of the land…after all, it was time for the grape harvest!
So, off they went to explore the entire region; and, at the end of forty days, with a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes that hung on a pole being carried by two men….they returned. Here’s the rest of the story…
“They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account. “We went into the land to which you sent us and it does INDEED flow with milk and honey. Here is its fruit. BUT….(Numbers 13:26-27)
And that’s where the trouble began…right after the BUT. If they would have just continued to trust in the word of the Lord; in the leadership of his chosen spokesman, Moses; in the promise of a God that had never failed them or abandoned them in their time of distress or need….instead they trusted what they could see…as we continue to read in verse 28, “But the people who live there are powerful and their cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.”
They continued to lament how it would be impossible to overtake the Amalekites, Jebusites, Amorites and Canaannites who inhabited the land. But one of the explorers, Caleb, stepped forward to silence the people and proclaimed, “We should go up and take possession of this land, for we can certainly do it. But, the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than us.”
And that’s the difference …both the naysayers and Caleb saw the same things. Both stood with a large pole of a single cluster of grapes before them….both saw the size of the people living in the land…however; one was using heavenly vision and the others only saw the weakness of themselves as no match for the giants in the land.
What about you? When God has given you a mission or has set before you a test of faith…how do you see it? Are you empowered by your Heavenly Father to accomplish His will for your life or are you weak and powerless as you face the giants of inadequacies, confusion and despair?
You can’t move the mountain on your own…BUT (there’s that little word again) …NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR GOD….for when He is for us, who can possibly stand against us? No One …NO WAY….NO HOW!!!!!
IT’S ALL A MATTER OF VISION….Seeing before you what God can and will accomplish when you surrender to Him and trust His word….Heavenly Vision ….ask for it by name…..and come back tomorrow for the rest of this heart-breaking story.
Looking through my faith to catch a glimpse of Him,
WPQ
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Don't Just Do Something...Stand There!
After the Israelites exited Egypt, they began their travels through the desert to the Promised Land. In Numbers, chapter 9, we read how the Lord instructed Moses to have the Israelites observe the second Passover. It is later in that same chapter that we read about the cloud of Guidance.
“On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of testimony, and it appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning. It remained that way continuously; the cloud covered it, appearing like fire at night. Whenever the cloud was lifted above the tent, the Israelites would set out; at the place where the cloud stopped, there the Israelites camped” Numbers 9:15-17
Scripture goes on to tell us that as long as the cloud remained above the tent of testimony, God’s people stayed put. Whether it was for a night, several days, a month or longer….they did not break camp and move out until the cloud went before them.
The same is true for us today. We need to stay put until our cloud (God’s Holy Spirit) moves out.
Now, it is true that we all call upon the Lord for guidance, direction, protection and provision… in fact, the list seems to go on and on. Yet, too often, after we have made our request known, we strike out on our own and fail to heed the tug or nudge of the Holy Spirit. We are too eager to make things happen rather than wait on the leading and direction of our Heavenly Father.
It is imperative today, in our rat-racing, fast-paced world, that we take time to know the will of God before we blindly forge ahead. Too often, we rush into the next endeavor for God without ever waiting to make sure that He is with us and that we are not going it alone. Too often we feel that if we just sit still and wait on the Lord, we are somehow losing ground; but, nothing could be further from the truth. He has commanded us to BE STILL...and know that HE IS GOD!
So, the next time you need a little guidance or you’re feeling unsure of the next step to take along the path of God’s will for your life…..DON'T JUST DO SOMETHING...STAND THERE....and wait patiently on Him.
Remember, God’s spirit is hovering over you; working inside your heart and mind; calming and encouraging you to be still and wait on His Holy and divine spirit to move…in fact,
Your Promised Land is just ahead if you will but wait on the Lord and follow His spirit…after all,
Waiting on God is the perfect way to know his will…..WHEN HE MOVES…YOU MOVE!!!!!!!
Moving ahead …following His cloud,
WPQ
“On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of testimony, and it appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning. It remained that way continuously; the cloud covered it, appearing like fire at night. Whenever the cloud was lifted above the tent, the Israelites would set out; at the place where the cloud stopped, there the Israelites camped” Numbers 9:15-17
Scripture goes on to tell us that as long as the cloud remained above the tent of testimony, God’s people stayed put. Whether it was for a night, several days, a month or longer….they did not break camp and move out until the cloud went before them.
The same is true for us today. We need to stay put until our cloud (God’s Holy Spirit) moves out.
Now, it is true that we all call upon the Lord for guidance, direction, protection and provision… in fact, the list seems to go on and on. Yet, too often, after we have made our request known, we strike out on our own and fail to heed the tug or nudge of the Holy Spirit. We are too eager to make things happen rather than wait on the leading and direction of our Heavenly Father.
It is imperative today, in our rat-racing, fast-paced world, that we take time to know the will of God before we blindly forge ahead. Too often, we rush into the next endeavor for God without ever waiting to make sure that He is with us and that we are not going it alone. Too often we feel that if we just sit still and wait on the Lord, we are somehow losing ground; but, nothing could be further from the truth. He has commanded us to BE STILL...and know that HE IS GOD!
So, the next time you need a little guidance or you’re feeling unsure of the next step to take along the path of God’s will for your life…..DON'T JUST DO SOMETHING...STAND THERE....and wait patiently on Him.
Remember, God’s spirit is hovering over you; working inside your heart and mind; calming and encouraging you to be still and wait on His Holy and divine spirit to move…in fact,
Your Promised Land is just ahead if you will but wait on the Lord and follow His spirit…after all,
Waiting on God is the perfect way to know his will…..WHEN HE MOVES…YOU MOVE!!!!!!!
Moving ahead …following His cloud,
WPQ
Friday, March 5, 2010
Taking the Leap of Faith
We all know that all too often the Lord calls us to do something for Him that does not seem to make sense…for some unspoken reason, it seems to go against our normal way of doing and walking in faith with our Father. So, there we stand, hands on our hips, asking…”God, are you REALLY sure that this is what you want me to do…that this is the way you want me to do it?” Sometimes, God just wants us to take that leap of faith and experience Him in complete trust and submission.
However, since our God is a God of order and design, he more often calls us to surrender to His plan that is clearly marked before us. Take for instance, the story of His people; led from Egypt to the very border of the Promised Land of Canaan. He had already promised that he would provide the Israelites with a new homeland and he gave to Moses, their leader, the plan they were to follow in order to secure this unknown land.
The Lord said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites.” So at the Lord’s command Moses send them out from the Desert of Paran. When Moses sent them out to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are weak or strong, few or many? What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees on it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land? Numbers 13:1, 17-20.
Did you catch all that Moses instructed the twelve spies to do…the questions that were to be answered …the information that would need to be gathered before God’s chosen people could inherit the new land? They were to step out in faith to capture this new land… God had a plan and He wanted to reveal it to them in a timely and orderly manner. To do so, they would first need to do some reconnaissance….they would first need to gather all the information that would allow them to follow more clearly what God had already ordained.
The same is true for you and me. Sometimes, we need to blindly take that leap of faith and trust that God will be there to catch us if we fall or fail; however, we must know, in our heart of hearts, that we have truly heard the voice of God and that our leap is in obedience and not out of a selfish desire.
Most of the time, we need to proceed as the Israelites….we need to scout the “unknown” territory and seek answers to some timely, important questions regarding the direction God is leading….He will not be offended. In fact, in James 1:5, we are reminded that God is the giver of all wisdom, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault…and it will be given to him.”
Today, maybe God has set before you some unknown territory that He wants you to take for His kingdom…it may require a leap of faith or a more methodical manner of seeking wisdom and asking some tough questions. Either way, you can be sure that God has the answers and a plan that He’s just waiting to share…why not apply the questions that Moses gave his spies….simple and effective in their nature to determine what lay before them.
Whatever you do to seek God’s guidance, start with this….YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS AND EXPECT GOD TO PROVIDE THE ANSWERS…
Then, maybe that leap of faith won’t seem so scary and God will be honored in your obedience….
Asking His direction….seeking His wisdom …obeying His call,
WPQ
However, since our God is a God of order and design, he more often calls us to surrender to His plan that is clearly marked before us. Take for instance, the story of His people; led from Egypt to the very border of the Promised Land of Canaan. He had already promised that he would provide the Israelites with a new homeland and he gave to Moses, their leader, the plan they were to follow in order to secure this unknown land.
The Lord said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites.” So at the Lord’s command Moses send them out from the Desert of Paran. When Moses sent them out to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are weak or strong, few or many? What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees on it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land? Numbers 13:1, 17-20.
Did you catch all that Moses instructed the twelve spies to do…the questions that were to be answered …the information that would need to be gathered before God’s chosen people could inherit the new land? They were to step out in faith to capture this new land… God had a plan and He wanted to reveal it to them in a timely and orderly manner. To do so, they would first need to do some reconnaissance….they would first need to gather all the information that would allow them to follow more clearly what God had already ordained.
The same is true for you and me. Sometimes, we need to blindly take that leap of faith and trust that God will be there to catch us if we fall or fail; however, we must know, in our heart of hearts, that we have truly heard the voice of God and that our leap is in obedience and not out of a selfish desire.
Most of the time, we need to proceed as the Israelites….we need to scout the “unknown” territory and seek answers to some timely, important questions regarding the direction God is leading….He will not be offended. In fact, in James 1:5, we are reminded that God is the giver of all wisdom, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault…and it will be given to him.”
Today, maybe God has set before you some unknown territory that He wants you to take for His kingdom…it may require a leap of faith or a more methodical manner of seeking wisdom and asking some tough questions. Either way, you can be sure that God has the answers and a plan that He’s just waiting to share…why not apply the questions that Moses gave his spies….simple and effective in their nature to determine what lay before them.
Whatever you do to seek God’s guidance, start with this….YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS AND EXPECT GOD TO PROVIDE THE ANSWERS…
Then, maybe that leap of faith won’t seem so scary and God will be honored in your obedience….
Asking His direction….seeking His wisdom …obeying His call,
WPQ
Thursday, March 4, 2010
To Turn or Not to Turn?
If you have been alive for more than a few years, then someone that you trusted, admired or placed your faith in has probably let you down. In fact, I would be willing to bet that on more than one occasion, someone has promised more than they could deliver...then, with little thought for their actions, they have left you broken-hearted, defeated or down-right mad. WELCOME TO THE HUMAN RACE.
The question, however, that always arises is …“How am I supposed to react to someone who is a promise breaker/persecuter?
Jesus set the tone for that question in His Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5: 10-12 that reads, “Blessed are those that are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
They are several things that Jesus is saying to us that should bring us comfort and encouragement as we read and study this passage.
First of all, you are NOT the first to be persecuted, disappointed, used, abused and lied to…it happened to the prophets and it will continue to happen until Christ returns. In the meantime, realize that you are in GOOD COMPANY and be encouraged.
Secondly, if you have been lied to or have had promises broken while you were doing the right and honorable thing….you will be BLESSED! God honors those that keep their word and fulfill their obligations with fairness and integrity. Keep walking the walk even if others around you are taking a shortcut…they may get their quicker, but they will have short-changed themselves in the journey.
Thirdly, you may consider someone’s broken promise as a personal affront; a quantifiable slap in the face; you may even take it as a personal character assassination that says you are not worthy of their best effort to keep their commitment…and you might just BE RIGHT! However, hurt feelings and broken hearts do not dismiss your obligation to keep your part of the bargain. You do what you promised and let God deal with them….He’ll handle it MUCH better than you!
And lastly, when all is said and done and there’s seems to be no remorse or apology in the offing from your offender; find a way to REJOICE and be GLAD. Dig deep and know that God is in control of even the worst situations and if you will trust Him for the outcome, your reward will be great….maybe not now, or even in the foreseeable future; but Heaven is only a moment away for each of us.
In fact, later in the same chapter, Jesus says, “You have heard it said, Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have you cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Matthew 5:38-41
You will never be able to control the actions of others…some will promise and deliver; others will persecute and destroy. The ONLY thing you can control is how you react to their actions…
You can get mad and get even ….or you can turn the other cheek and be the bigger, better person…the person who follows in the Savior’s footsteps …the choice is yours….
TO TURN OR NOT TO TURN…one of life’s greatest challenges.
Living with an exposed left cheek,
WPQ
The question, however, that always arises is …“How am I supposed to react to someone who is a promise breaker/persecuter?
Jesus set the tone for that question in His Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5: 10-12 that reads, “Blessed are those that are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
They are several things that Jesus is saying to us that should bring us comfort and encouragement as we read and study this passage.
First of all, you are NOT the first to be persecuted, disappointed, used, abused and lied to…it happened to the prophets and it will continue to happen until Christ returns. In the meantime, realize that you are in GOOD COMPANY and be encouraged.
Secondly, if you have been lied to or have had promises broken while you were doing the right and honorable thing….you will be BLESSED! God honors those that keep their word and fulfill their obligations with fairness and integrity. Keep walking the walk even if others around you are taking a shortcut…they may get their quicker, but they will have short-changed themselves in the journey.
Thirdly, you may consider someone’s broken promise as a personal affront; a quantifiable slap in the face; you may even take it as a personal character assassination that says you are not worthy of their best effort to keep their commitment…and you might just BE RIGHT! However, hurt feelings and broken hearts do not dismiss your obligation to keep your part of the bargain. You do what you promised and let God deal with them….He’ll handle it MUCH better than you!
And lastly, when all is said and done and there’s seems to be no remorse or apology in the offing from your offender; find a way to REJOICE and be GLAD. Dig deep and know that God is in control of even the worst situations and if you will trust Him for the outcome, your reward will be great….maybe not now, or even in the foreseeable future; but Heaven is only a moment away for each of us.
In fact, later in the same chapter, Jesus says, “You have heard it said, Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have you cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Matthew 5:38-41
You will never be able to control the actions of others…some will promise and deliver; others will persecute and destroy. The ONLY thing you can control is how you react to their actions…
You can get mad and get even ….or you can turn the other cheek and be the bigger, better person…the person who follows in the Savior’s footsteps …the choice is yours….
TO TURN OR NOT TO TURN…one of life’s greatest challenges.
Living with an exposed left cheek,
WPQ
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
A New Mind Set
Yesterday, we asked ourselves….what was the Apostle Paul talking about when he told us to “be transformed by the renewing of your minds?” Here’s my take on this topic of letting go of our earthly claims and taking hold of our heavenly gains.
First, we must have the mind of Christ, thus a new mind set is in order. We cannot just think differently on our own; we must take hold of the mind of Christ through surrender.
It was always the passion of Christ to be obedient to the will of God…to do all that the Father had set before him…to gladly bear our burdens and our sins and to rejoice in the plan of salvation that would provide each of us forgiveness and clothe us in His righteousness.
That mind set is not simply acquired; but rather, it is given to those that empty themselves of worldly desires, goals and ambitions and concentrate on the will of the Father. It is that transformation of our mind that allows us to ‘test and approve” the will of God in our lives.
We begin that transformation by giving our bodies as a living sacrifice to God….our physical, fleshly desires are laid to rest on the alter of grace and we give up our “rights” to who we are or who we think we should be according to the standards of this world.
Paul says it best in Philippians 3:8-9a, “Indeed, I count everything as a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of ALL THINGS and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.”
Did you get that?
It’s all rubbish! EVERYTHING IS RUBBISH….except knowing Christ…that is our earthly portion and it is counted as heavenly gain. Sure, you can follow in the way of the world, as most Christians do, and struggle with trying to do the will of God or... you can surrender your will to His will...ONE DAY AT A TIME. You see, once you have accepted Christ as your personal Savior, the battle is no longer for your soul…rather it is for the surrender of your will to the good, acceptable and perfect will of your Heavenly Father.
So, make the clear choice today and begin with the surrender of your flesh, the acquisition of the mind of Christ and the mindset that it is all rubbish…unless it is for heavenly gain.
You should be able to ask yourself this question regarding your citizenship in heaven…If I do this today, will the difference it makes on earth impact my future in heaven? If so, then full steam ahead! If not, better wait on the Lord and continue to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
So why not start today to stop living and planning to just accept the consequences of your actions; rather, follow in the footsteps of Jesus and start living a life surrendered to obedience to the Father’s will….you will be amazed at the peace and security that will invade your life as you live one day at a time for Him.
After all, we really don’t belong here…You and I are destined for better, Brighter and BIGGER Things. Remember, we’re just passing through on our way HOME ….and the only thing we can take with us….OUR FAMILY AND OUR FRIENDS.
Do they see Christ living in you ….or are you practicing dual citizenship?
ONLY YOU CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION!
Praying that others see Christ in me,
WPQ
First, we must have the mind of Christ, thus a new mind set is in order. We cannot just think differently on our own; we must take hold of the mind of Christ through surrender.
It was always the passion of Christ to be obedient to the will of God…to do all that the Father had set before him…to gladly bear our burdens and our sins and to rejoice in the plan of salvation that would provide each of us forgiveness and clothe us in His righteousness.
That mind set is not simply acquired; but rather, it is given to those that empty themselves of worldly desires, goals and ambitions and concentrate on the will of the Father. It is that transformation of our mind that allows us to ‘test and approve” the will of God in our lives.
We begin that transformation by giving our bodies as a living sacrifice to God….our physical, fleshly desires are laid to rest on the alter of grace and we give up our “rights” to who we are or who we think we should be according to the standards of this world.
Paul says it best in Philippians 3:8-9a, “Indeed, I count everything as a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of ALL THINGS and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.”
Did you get that?
It’s all rubbish! EVERYTHING IS RUBBISH….except knowing Christ…that is our earthly portion and it is counted as heavenly gain. Sure, you can follow in the way of the world, as most Christians do, and struggle with trying to do the will of God or... you can surrender your will to His will...ONE DAY AT A TIME. You see, once you have accepted Christ as your personal Savior, the battle is no longer for your soul…rather it is for the surrender of your will to the good, acceptable and perfect will of your Heavenly Father.
So, make the clear choice today and begin with the surrender of your flesh, the acquisition of the mind of Christ and the mindset that it is all rubbish…unless it is for heavenly gain.
You should be able to ask yourself this question regarding your citizenship in heaven…If I do this today, will the difference it makes on earth impact my future in heaven? If so, then full steam ahead! If not, better wait on the Lord and continue to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
So why not start today to stop living and planning to just accept the consequences of your actions; rather, follow in the footsteps of Jesus and start living a life surrendered to obedience to the Father’s will….you will be amazed at the peace and security that will invade your life as you live one day at a time for Him.
After all, we really don’t belong here…You and I are destined for better, Brighter and BIGGER Things. Remember, we’re just passing through on our way HOME ….and the only thing we can take with us….OUR FAMILY AND OUR FRIENDS.
Do they see Christ living in you ….or are you practicing dual citizenship?
ONLY YOU CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION!
Praying that others see Christ in me,
WPQ
Monday, March 1, 2010
Dual Citizenship....Where do you stand?
In almost every country around our globe, you can choose to proclaim your allegiance to that country and, after meeting their citizenship requirements, declare that you are a citizen. However, for it to be a bona fide and recognized act of declaration, you must first denounce your citizenship from your previous homeland.
The same is true for us as Christians. We were born into this world as sinners and in our sins and citizenship of this world we would die…if not for the love of our Heavenly Father and the shed blood of His Son, Jesus.
In fact in John 17, when Christ prayed for his disciples, He prayed…"I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of this world any more than I am of this world. My prayer is not that you would take them out of this world but that you would protect them from the evil one. They are not of this world, even as I am not of this world."
Christ knew that our salvation made us a new creation in Him…that we would be adopted into His heavenly family and would indeed be the sons and daughters of the Most High God. We have new citizenship in a new homeland that He has gone to prepare….but the sad truth is that too many of us have failed to renounce and denounce our former ties to this worldly sphere. We are in truth practicing dual citizenship.
We have to take ourselves out of this world. Thomas Watson, a Puritan of the first magnitude, used this analogy to help us understand what happens when we fail to do this. He said, “A Christian in this world is like a ship in the ocean. It’s one thing for the ship to be in the water, but when the water gets in the ship, it begins to sink.”
Paul gave us the formula for removing ourselves from this world…for denouncing our citizenship and claiming our new birthright in God’s heavenly kingdom. “Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is…His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
So what’s the practical application of Paul’s advice to each of us in regards to claiming and proclaiming our new citizenship….what does he mean when he tells us to renew our minds….how can we know that we are no longer of this world; only passing through to our glorious homeland where our Savior awaits …..
Come back tomorrow and we’ll discover what’s written in the fine print of our citizenship papers.
Living in this world …longing for the next,
WPQ
Thought for the day:
You may attempt to persuade another to change their point of view
But nothing speaks more plainly than what Christ has done in you.
So if another’s lifestyle you are hoping to rearrange
Just testify how the Father’s love can make an everlasting change.
WPQ 2003
The same is true for us as Christians. We were born into this world as sinners and in our sins and citizenship of this world we would die…if not for the love of our Heavenly Father and the shed blood of His Son, Jesus.
In fact in John 17, when Christ prayed for his disciples, He prayed…"I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of this world any more than I am of this world. My prayer is not that you would take them out of this world but that you would protect them from the evil one. They are not of this world, even as I am not of this world."
Christ knew that our salvation made us a new creation in Him…that we would be adopted into His heavenly family and would indeed be the sons and daughters of the Most High God. We have new citizenship in a new homeland that He has gone to prepare….but the sad truth is that too many of us have failed to renounce and denounce our former ties to this worldly sphere. We are in truth practicing dual citizenship.
We have to take ourselves out of this world. Thomas Watson, a Puritan of the first magnitude, used this analogy to help us understand what happens when we fail to do this. He said, “A Christian in this world is like a ship in the ocean. It’s one thing for the ship to be in the water, but when the water gets in the ship, it begins to sink.”
Paul gave us the formula for removing ourselves from this world…for denouncing our citizenship and claiming our new birthright in God’s heavenly kingdom. “Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is…His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
So what’s the practical application of Paul’s advice to each of us in regards to claiming and proclaiming our new citizenship….what does he mean when he tells us to renew our minds….how can we know that we are no longer of this world; only passing through to our glorious homeland where our Savior awaits …..
Come back tomorrow and we’ll discover what’s written in the fine print of our citizenship papers.
Living in this world …longing for the next,
WPQ
Thought for the day:
You may attempt to persuade another to change their point of view
But nothing speaks more plainly than what Christ has done in you.
So if another’s lifestyle you are hoping to rearrange
Just testify how the Father’s love can make an everlasting change.
WPQ 2003
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