Annas speaks....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, The High Priest speaks....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 tear 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. There 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 Eternally Blessed,
WPQ
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Judas Iscariot...Satan's Servant or 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 day. 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 that 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…at 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 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…at 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 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
Saturday, April 16, 2011
The Cast of the Crucifixion…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
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
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Triumphs of Easter….
This weekend begins the week that leads to Passover and to our celebration of Easter; but for Christ, the journey to the cross began with His triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem. John 12:12-15 gives us insight into this celebratory event in the life of Christ as it reads, “
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”
The way of the cross began as the crowds celebrated Jesus and the many miracles He had performed. He had touched so many lives and the passion of the crowds swept them into the streets as they sought to honor him as their King instead of the Romans who now enslaved their nation….however, Christ knew this celebration would be short-lived and that the cries of hosannas would soon be replaced by the shouts of an angry mob to crucify their once triumphant King.
How will you enter this Easter season? As one, who by word and deed, praises the man of sorrow and exalts him as King….or will you prove to be as fickle as the angry crowds and shout to crucify the Lord of Lords …Your actions and how you spend this Easter season will tell others how much you really care for Jesus.
Begin this Easter season on this upcoming Palm Sunday in praise and worship at the church of your choosing; then, join me all next week in the reprint of the Cast of the Crucifixion and the Cast of the Resurrection….come share the stories of those who encountered the Christ of the Cross and the Redeemer Resurrected….your heart will be blessed as you meditate on all that Christ accomplished on the cross and your soul will overflow with joy as you reflect on the great love of our Heavenly Father….
REJOICE AND BE JOYOUS …..WE KNOW HOW THIS STORY ENDS……
Secure in the works of my Savior…..Longing for Eternity,
WPQ
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”
The way of the cross began as the crowds celebrated Jesus and the many miracles He had performed. He had touched so many lives and the passion of the crowds swept them into the streets as they sought to honor him as their King instead of the Romans who now enslaved their nation….however, Christ knew this celebration would be short-lived and that the cries of hosannas would soon be replaced by the shouts of an angry mob to crucify their once triumphant King.
How will you enter this Easter season? As one, who by word and deed, praises the man of sorrow and exalts him as King….or will you prove to be as fickle as the angry crowds and shout to crucify the Lord of Lords …Your actions and how you spend this Easter season will tell others how much you really care for Jesus.
Begin this Easter season on this upcoming Palm Sunday in praise and worship at the church of your choosing; then, join me all next week in the reprint of the Cast of the Crucifixion and the Cast of the Resurrection….come share the stories of those who encountered the Christ of the Cross and the Redeemer Resurrected….your heart will be blessed as you meditate on all that Christ accomplished on the cross and your soul will overflow with joy as you reflect on the great love of our Heavenly Father….
REJOICE AND BE JOYOUS …..WE KNOW HOW THIS STORY ENDS……
Secure in the works of my Savior…..Longing for Eternity,
WPQ
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Releasing the Pain…
Everywhere today, people are suffering and enduring pain. It may be physical pain that is the result of some disease that is ravaging their body; emotional pain from the loss of a loved one through death or divorce or it may be the pain of rejection, withdrawal, remorse or neglect. As sure as there is breath that confirms life, so there is pain.
In fact, doctors often speak with their patients regarding their “threshold” for pain before or directly after a surgical procedure….trying to determine the level of awareness at which they feel pain. For some that level is high and they can tolerate a great deal before they feel the pain….others are not so lucky. Once that determination is made, the doctor then prescribes an aspirin or similar medication to relieve the pain. However, although that is what we think is occurring, it is not. The aspirin actually has no effect on the physical problem; rather, it only raises your threshold for pain….and by raising your threshold, you are able to endure more pain before you once again fill its damaging effects.
As Christians, we have a “spiritual” aspirin that God has given us to help us endure the pain and suffering that we encounter as we make our way across this landscape we call life. In Nehemiah 8: 10 we read, “The JOY of the Lord is your strength.”
Joy is the aspirin that God has given us to help us endure. When we spend our time in thanksgiving and praise, we will be filled with the joy of the Lord. As we come to God and our continuously reminded of His faithfulness, His joy fills our hearts; and then, when troubles and the pains of life come, we will not succumb to the damaging effects of doubt and disbelief; rather, we will be conquerors in Him.
They are many ways to experience the joy of the Lord…to find that “spiritual” aspirin when the ways of the world seem too much to bear. For King Saul, it was the harp of David that brought peace to a tortured soul….for Jesus, it was the solitude of the mountainside that brought strength for the task ahead…for me, it is a round of golf that refreshes and renews me for the battle against the enemy.
You see, when I step on the first tee and see the beauty of the blue sky; smell the freshly mowed grass; watch the flight of that little white ball as it soars through the air….I am reminded of my awesome God and the beauty of His creation. I revel in the joy of the Lord …that I am healthy in Him, both physically and spiritually and I REJOICE that I belong to Him.
Whatever problems, mistakes, miscalculations or misgivings I may be experiencing melt away as I spend time in pursuit of that ball and my Lord…it is indeed my release from all of my pain. I know that He loves me and that He is preparing a place for me ….and that some day SOON, He is coming back for me….and that thought fills me with JOY!!!!
What’s your “spiritual” aspirin that fills you with praise and adoration for you Savior? Is it listening to beautiful music or walking through a forest glen….biking across a mountain trail or reading from the Holy Scriptures….singing at the top of your lungs or whispering a simple prayer… whatever it is, do it to the glory of Him who has saved you and be filled with the joy of the Lord!
For when His joy fills your heart, your pain will diminish and you will be….Blessed Beyond Measure,
WPQ
Thought for the Day:
Life’s problems may weigh you down
Dark clouds may bring you rain
But when your joy is in the Lord
You’ll hardly feel the pain.
PS: Come back tomorrow and all next week to meet The Cast of the Crucifixion and the Cast of the Resurrection.
In fact, doctors often speak with their patients regarding their “threshold” for pain before or directly after a surgical procedure….trying to determine the level of awareness at which they feel pain. For some that level is high and they can tolerate a great deal before they feel the pain….others are not so lucky. Once that determination is made, the doctor then prescribes an aspirin or similar medication to relieve the pain. However, although that is what we think is occurring, it is not. The aspirin actually has no effect on the physical problem; rather, it only raises your threshold for pain….and by raising your threshold, you are able to endure more pain before you once again fill its damaging effects.
As Christians, we have a “spiritual” aspirin that God has given us to help us endure the pain and suffering that we encounter as we make our way across this landscape we call life. In Nehemiah 8: 10 we read, “The JOY of the Lord is your strength.”
Joy is the aspirin that God has given us to help us endure. When we spend our time in thanksgiving and praise, we will be filled with the joy of the Lord. As we come to God and our continuously reminded of His faithfulness, His joy fills our hearts; and then, when troubles and the pains of life come, we will not succumb to the damaging effects of doubt and disbelief; rather, we will be conquerors in Him.
They are many ways to experience the joy of the Lord…to find that “spiritual” aspirin when the ways of the world seem too much to bear. For King Saul, it was the harp of David that brought peace to a tortured soul….for Jesus, it was the solitude of the mountainside that brought strength for the task ahead…for me, it is a round of golf that refreshes and renews me for the battle against the enemy.
You see, when I step on the first tee and see the beauty of the blue sky; smell the freshly mowed grass; watch the flight of that little white ball as it soars through the air….I am reminded of my awesome God and the beauty of His creation. I revel in the joy of the Lord …that I am healthy in Him, both physically and spiritually and I REJOICE that I belong to Him.
Whatever problems, mistakes, miscalculations or misgivings I may be experiencing melt away as I spend time in pursuit of that ball and my Lord…it is indeed my release from all of my pain. I know that He loves me and that He is preparing a place for me ….and that some day SOON, He is coming back for me….and that thought fills me with JOY!!!!
What’s your “spiritual” aspirin that fills you with praise and adoration for you Savior? Is it listening to beautiful music or walking through a forest glen….biking across a mountain trail or reading from the Holy Scriptures….singing at the top of your lungs or whispering a simple prayer… whatever it is, do it to the glory of Him who has saved you and be filled with the joy of the Lord!
For when His joy fills your heart, your pain will diminish and you will be….Blessed Beyond Measure,
WPQ
Thought for the Day:
Life’s problems may weigh you down
Dark clouds may bring you rain
But when your joy is in the Lord
You’ll hardly feel the pain.
PS: Come back tomorrow and all next week to meet The Cast of the Crucifixion and the Cast of the Resurrection.
Friday, March 11, 2011
A Higher Standard
Good timing is what the world relies upon when it comes to making important decisions; but we, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, are held to a higher standard. All we have to do is look into the scriptures…there’s plenty of Godly instructions just waiting for us there.
For instance, check out Proverbs (especially the 16th chapter) and read,
“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord”
Or
“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
Or
“There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way of death.”
Or
“Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.”
I trust you can see a pattern developing in the teaching of the Word….God ordains the works of man and He has purposed a time, a place and an outcome. Surely,in many instances, man often does his best to thwart the will and purpose of God …but even at his best, he can only delay what God has set in motion…whether we like it or not…
GOD IS IN CONTROL.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, God gives us His timetable, starting with this thought, “There is a time for everything…a season for every activity under heaven”…. And the list continues. Time to be born, to die, to reap, to sow, to weep, to laugh….to love and to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. But then, the writer continues to tell us that he has seen the business of God given to his children and he confesses that God has made it all… and He has made EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME.
Is this your time to be made beautiful in the Lord? Has he called you out and set you aside for a special task, an unforgettable mission or a time of reconciliation with others?
We are not called to wait on good timing…. but rather on GOD’S TIMING. So, if you’ve been making great plans, FANTASTIC! Just be sure that you are seeking God’s will and His perfect timing….. Anything less will prove to be hazardous to your spiritual health and can lead to a path of destruction.
One of my personal mantras that I wrote during our daughter’s battle with cancer at age 5 said this; “Waiting on God takes faith…Trusting in God takes patience….Persevering in God takes Life…one step at a time!!!
If you’re waiting on God…be patient and then, be persistent in your walk and He will provide all that you need …..AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME!
Good timing or God’s timing….the results will be determined by you choice…so choose wisely….like your future depends on it.
Walking the walk ….patiently waiting on Him,
WPQ
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Waiting on the Father
Is the perfect way;
To seek to do His will
Each and every day.
To walk where He would lead
Takes faith and so much more;
For at the proper time
God will open the right door.
WPQ @ March 2011
For instance, check out Proverbs (especially the 16th chapter) and read,
“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord”
Or
“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
Or
“There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way of death.”
Or
“Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.”
I trust you can see a pattern developing in the teaching of the Word….God ordains the works of man and He has purposed a time, a place and an outcome. Surely,in many instances, man often does his best to thwart the will and purpose of God …but even at his best, he can only delay what God has set in motion…whether we like it or not…
GOD IS IN CONTROL.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, God gives us His timetable, starting with this thought, “There is a time for everything…a season for every activity under heaven”…. And the list continues. Time to be born, to die, to reap, to sow, to weep, to laugh….to love and to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. But then, the writer continues to tell us that he has seen the business of God given to his children and he confesses that God has made it all… and He has made EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME.
Is this your time to be made beautiful in the Lord? Has he called you out and set you aside for a special task, an unforgettable mission or a time of reconciliation with others?
We are not called to wait on good timing…. but rather on GOD’S TIMING. So, if you’ve been making great plans, FANTASTIC! Just be sure that you are seeking God’s will and His perfect timing….. Anything less will prove to be hazardous to your spiritual health and can lead to a path of destruction.
One of my personal mantras that I wrote during our daughter’s battle with cancer at age 5 said this; “Waiting on God takes faith…Trusting in God takes patience….Persevering in God takes Life…one step at a time!!!
If you’re waiting on God…be patient and then, be persistent in your walk and He will provide all that you need …..AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME!
Good timing or God’s timing….the results will be determined by you choice…so choose wisely….like your future depends on it.
Walking the walk ….patiently waiting on Him,
WPQ
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Waiting on the Father
Is the perfect way;
To seek to do His will
Each and every day.
To walk where He would lead
Takes faith and so much more;
For at the proper time
God will open the right door.
WPQ @ March 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
PERPLEXED?
Testing the Father's Will....
Have you ever wrestled with a problem or had trouble dealing with making a decision that might change the course of your life? Well, if you’re still breathing, the answer is an emphatic YES!!!! And don’t look now, but, as you get older and, as some would deem, wiser….it still does not get any easier; especially if you are trying to walk in a Godly and forthright manner.
That’s why I love the story of Gideon.
Now, Gideon was the son of Joash the Abiezrite, one of the least of the clans in Manasseh and the weakest in his clan, when God’s angel appeared to him and proclaimed him to be a “mighty man of valor.” The angel shared how God had heard the cries of His people and was sending Gideon to “save Israel from the hand of the Midian.” After Gideon confirmed the revelation of God’s angel by having a meal he prepared for him totally consumed by fire, the plot began to thicken ….and poor Gideon was faced with some very difficult decisions.
God instructions led to the destruction of the altar to Baal and to the establishment of an altar to the God of Israel…which really riled up the locals and set the stage for battle. Gideon sent out the cry for warriors throughout Manasseh to come prepared to follow him into battle; yet, Gideon was still having second thoughts as to his role in God’s redemptive plan for Israel. So, he did the only thing he could think of …he put God to the test.
“Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but that would have been all the confirmation I needed to move out to accomplish the goals that God had set before me….at least, I hope that would get me moving. But, I am probably more like Gideon than I would care to admit.
“Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only and on all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.” Judges6:36-40
Gideon had his answer because he was not afraid to ask. Too often, we come to some cross road in our life and we need heavenly guidance to assure that we are making the right choice … we want to confirm that God is going with us or that He has called us to this time of decision….but, we freeze and in fear, we simply don’t put God’s will to the test.
There have been many times in my life that I have used Gideon’s approach to come to a major decision and in each circumstance, God has been FAITHFUL!
You see, God wants us to ask for his guidance, direction, confirmation and especially, His blessings on the activities and choices that make up our life. After all, we are here for His purpose and though we are not robots, we are made to be happy when we do the Father’s will and accomplish the tasks He has ordained.
So, the next time you come to a time of consternation regarding a life choice or there looms on the horizon a battle that God has called you to fight…pull a Gideon and fleece the Lord.
Go ahead ….God’s up for the challenge …He won’t hold your anxiety against you… only the fear of failing to ask will keep you paralyzed from making a godly decision.
It worked for Gideon…it will work for you!!!
Moving forward in faith…thankful for His answers,
WPQ
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Times of questions, seasons of doubt;
We bow in prayer to figure out.
Where He leads and how to follow;
Lingering doubts, leave us hollow.
But God requires if we want to receive
We trust in Him and truly believe;
He shall supply for every task
If we are willing to seek and to ask.
WPQ
Have you ever wrestled with a problem or had trouble dealing with making a decision that might change the course of your life? Well, if you’re still breathing, the answer is an emphatic YES!!!! And don’t look now, but, as you get older and, as some would deem, wiser….it still does not get any easier; especially if you are trying to walk in a Godly and forthright manner.
That’s why I love the story of Gideon.
Now, Gideon was the son of Joash the Abiezrite, one of the least of the clans in Manasseh and the weakest in his clan, when God’s angel appeared to him and proclaimed him to be a “mighty man of valor.” The angel shared how God had heard the cries of His people and was sending Gideon to “save Israel from the hand of the Midian.” After Gideon confirmed the revelation of God’s angel by having a meal he prepared for him totally consumed by fire, the plot began to thicken ….and poor Gideon was faced with some very difficult decisions.
God instructions led to the destruction of the altar to Baal and to the establishment of an altar to the God of Israel…which really riled up the locals and set the stage for battle. Gideon sent out the cry for warriors throughout Manasseh to come prepared to follow him into battle; yet, Gideon was still having second thoughts as to his role in God’s redemptive plan for Israel. So, he did the only thing he could think of …he put God to the test.
“Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but that would have been all the confirmation I needed to move out to accomplish the goals that God had set before me….at least, I hope that would get me moving. But, I am probably more like Gideon than I would care to admit.
“Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only and on all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.” Judges6:36-40
Gideon had his answer because he was not afraid to ask. Too often, we come to some cross road in our life and we need heavenly guidance to assure that we are making the right choice … we want to confirm that God is going with us or that He has called us to this time of decision….but, we freeze and in fear, we simply don’t put God’s will to the test.
There have been many times in my life that I have used Gideon’s approach to come to a major decision and in each circumstance, God has been FAITHFUL!
You see, God wants us to ask for his guidance, direction, confirmation and especially, His blessings on the activities and choices that make up our life. After all, we are here for His purpose and though we are not robots, we are made to be happy when we do the Father’s will and accomplish the tasks He has ordained.
So, the next time you come to a time of consternation regarding a life choice or there looms on the horizon a battle that God has called you to fight…pull a Gideon and fleece the Lord.
Go ahead ….God’s up for the challenge …He won’t hold your anxiety against you… only the fear of failing to ask will keep you paralyzed from making a godly decision.
It worked for Gideon…it will work for you!!!
Moving forward in faith…thankful for His answers,
WPQ
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Times of questions, seasons of doubt;
We bow in prayer to figure out.
Where He leads and how to follow;
Lingering doubts, leave us hollow.
But God requires if we want to receive
We trust in Him and truly believe;
He shall supply for every task
If we are willing to seek and to ask.
WPQ
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