“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book.” Psalm 56:8 (NLT)

The psalmist reveals the tenderness of God’s compassion for us in Psalm 56:8.  Consider His love for you in this verse.

“You (God) keep track of all my sorrows. You (God) have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book.” 

There is never a sorrow wasted, never a tear discarded. God records them all! What profound love! What a comfort to know we have a God who cares so much! Peter must have experienced that same kind of response in his failure when he denied knowing Christ three times. Luke records what happened when Peter denied knowing Christ for the third time.

“At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: ‘Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me.’ And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.” Luke 22:61-62 (NLT)  

I can only imagine what must have gone through Peter’s mind when Jesus looked at him from a distance. He had done what he said he would never do! With bitter tears, he wept in defeat. Yet, his failure wasn’t final! His sorrow wasn’t wasted, and his tears were not forgotten. When Jesus rose from the dead, He personally met with Peter to restore him!

Our failure is never final when we take it to Christ. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available for you and me to resurrect His purpose in us and enable us to do what we could not do in our own strength. Whether your sorrow is a result of personal failure or loss or circumstances beyond your control, you have a Heavenly Father who collects all your tears in His bottle. Don’t waste your sorrows. God promises to turn them into joy.

“Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5 (NLT)

“… when He (Jesus) was alone with His disciples, He explained everything to them.”  Mark 4:34b (NLT)                                      

If your Christian experience is anything like mine, you find yourself walking in a fog at times. You need clarity for decisions and direction. Even the great Apostle Paul who wrote so much of the New Testament said,

“Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”  1 Cor. 13:12 (NLT)

While heaven will offer perfect clarity, how do we find it until then? The Gospel of Mark records how Jesus used many stories and illustrations to teach people as much as they could understand. Still, even His disciples often walked away wondering what He meant by the things He said.

“In fact, in His public ministry He never taught without using parables; but afterward, when He was alone with His disciples, He explained everything to them.” Mark 4:34 (NLT)

Here’s the insight we need. Time alone with Jesus brings clarity. When you find yourself in a fog about what to do, get alone with Jesus in His Word. Do what Jesus so often did.

• “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.” (Mark 1:35 NLT)

• “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” (Luke 5:16 NLT)

• “Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and He prayed to God all night. At daybreak He called together all of His disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles.”  (Luke 6:12-13 NLT) 

Whether it was the need for daily communion or with regard to major decisions, Jesus routinely spent time alone with the Father in prayer. Find an isolated place to be alone with Jesus. As you do, you’ll find strength for the day, wisdom for decisions and peace to calm your heart. God’s Word, as revealed in Scripture, will become a light for your path.

“A time to tear down and a time to build up.” Ecclesiastes 3:3b (NLT)

Amos is one of my favorite characters in the Old Testament. He wasn’t a prophet or the son of a prophet. He wasn’t a priest. Without any special preparation, education or upbringing, Amos was a simple shepherd and fig picker. Yet, God called Amos to deliver a powerful message to His people. Why Amos? He lived in a time when the religious and political leaders had departed from God and were no longer communicating His Word or representing His character. They were corrupt. As go the leaders, so go the people. Both were drifting farther away from God. They had a religious system that continued to operate but only with ritual, tradition and formality. They were going through the motions of worship, but it had long since lost its meaning. They used their veneer of worship to cover a life of sin and immorality in order to make themselves look good. But, God saw what was happening and sent Amos with a message to call His people back and to warn them of imminent danger if they continued in a charade of faith. Failing to heed his warning, Amos delivered one final message of painful, yet redemptive, consequences. He said God would destroy their Temple and judge their nation. No one could hide. But, with that severe judgment, God promised restoration. One day, He would restore all that was destroyed.  In Amos 9:11b God assured them,

“From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory.”

I couldn’t read this story without thinking of what a previous King of Israel wrote. In Ecclesiastes 3, King Solomon observed,

“There is a time to tear down and a time to build up.” 

Sometimes, God must tear down before He can build up. In Amos’ day, God would tear down their religious system and nation to awaken their hearts in order to build a relationship. Sin had separated them from God. If they would not tear down that which was separating them, He would. But, this wasn’t because He hated them. He loved them, but He hated what created the separation. When we experience pain and loss, sometimes the purpose in that pain is God’s divine design to rebuild a relationship with Him that somehow was lost or derailed by sin. God destroyed Israel’s base of security, their Temple and their nation to bring them back to Himself. Then, in grace, He promised to restore His renewed people and their broken world. When you attend church this weekend, be careful not to substitute a “religious system” for a heart of worship. Focus on building up your relationship with God, and enjoy the blessing of His presence.

 

“He said to me, Son of man, all My words that I shall speak to you, receive in your heart and hear with your ears.” Ezekiel 3:10 (Ampl)

Nothing will ignite your faith like a fresh encounter with God! Hearing God’s voice is essential to vital faith. God speaks today and longs for us to hear His voice.  The clearest way I hear God’s voice is to engage Scripture on a daily basis. Jesus told us that God’s Word is truth! When He prayed in the garden before the crucifixion, He said,

“Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth.” John 17:17 (NLT)

I’m often asked, “How do you hear God’s voice? How do you know when He is speaking to you? How do you know if it’s not just your own thoughts or, worse, the voice of the devil?” Consider a new approach to your daily Bible reading. Learn to engage the Scripture. Engaging the Bible on a daily basis involves three simple exercises:

First, read it systematically. You can begin in the Old Testament or the New Testament. It could be a reading of one of the 66 books that make up the Bible, like the Gospel of John. Wherever you choose to begin, read a chapter or two each day.

Second, reflect on what you are reading. The biblical word for reflecting on Scripture is “meditation.” Let the words marinate in your mind and heart as you read them. Let them sink into your soul and consider their application to your life as well as their historical context.

Third, respond to what you read. Act on the truth that you understand. It could be a sin to confess and forsake, a command to obey, a promise to claim, or a call to pray. God may even prompt your heart to share what you’ve read in His Word with someone to encourage their faith.

Be intentional. Determine to meet with God each day and engage Him in His Word. Consider it your Divine Appointment. Soon, what began as a daily discipline will become an absolute delight! You will look forward to hearing God’s voice as He speaks to you in the pages of His Word. Read it daily. Reflect on what you’re reading and respond with faith and action! I challenge you to try engaging the Bible over the next 30 days and begin to journal what you hear God saying to you!

“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.” (Matthew 28:6, NIV)

Easter is the encore of heaven!  It’s the triumph over evil, death and hell itself! No event in history can compare with the victory of the empty tomb! Because He lives, we too may live! Our sins can be forgiven! Our lives can be filled with hope and a power beyond ourselves to live victoriously! The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead presents a whole new challenge. How would we live our lives if we knew death was not the end? It’s not the final act. It’s really when the curtain opens and we get to see behind the veil. We get to live eternally! How awesome is that? The resurrection removes the fear of death.  Hebrews 2:14-15 says,

“… by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil– and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”  

That must have been how Lazarus felt when he came out of the tomb after being dead four days! How afraid do you think he was of the threats of those who wanted to kill him after that? John tells us that large crowds were coming to Jesus because of the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead and the chief priests weren’t happy about it.

^“So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in Him.” (John 12:9-11, NIV)  

I can almost hear Lazarus say with a grin on his face, “Go ahead and kill me.  Been there – done that!” When you know that your life is not over at death, you live for eternity, not just the here and now.  Jesus said,

^“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20, NIV)

How much of our lives is spent investing in things that won’t last? We get stressed and depressed over stuff that can’t satisfy. But, if we lived with eternity in our hearts, we would look beyond the trinkets and see the real treasure – treasure that we can store up in heaven. The fact is that we can’t take anything with us when we die; but, Jesus said we can send something ahead of us, treasures that cannot be destroyed or stolen! Now, there’s an investment that never depreciates! The resurrection changes our whole perspective, the way we view ourselves, others and our world. It gives us confidence that, in the end, we win because we are on the winning side! If death couldn’t conquer Christ, we no longer must cower to it. Jesus put it like this at a funeral one day,

^“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26, NIV)

How would you live life if you knew you would never die, that death was simply the transition of your true self from a physical shell into the very presence of God who would give you a resurrected body like Christ?  1 John 3:2 says,

^“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

So, if you want to have some fun, look up the passages of Scripture at the end of the Gospels and the first chapter of Acts and see what Jesus was able to do in His glorified body. Then, determine to live the rest of your days here in light of the hereafter with eternity in your heart. Realize that you are only a stranger here, that your real citizenship is in heaven.

Personal Easter Challenge:

1. How would you live your life differently if you knew you would never die?

2. What treasures are you sending on ahead?

 

Spend some time in prayer asking God to teach you how to apply the risen power of Christ in every area of your life.

“It is finished!” John 19:30 (NIV)                                                              

Have you ever considered how you want to finish your life? Will you finish well? Will you have accomplished the purpose for which you were created? Will those closest to you know you loved them? From the cross, Jesus taught us how to finish well. His declaration would become a crowning word of triumph! Three words in English, one word in the Greek, Jesus would cry, “Tetelesthai” – It is finished!  No single word ever uttered has so changed the history and destiny of mankind as this! Notice that Jesus didn’t say, “I am finished!” It wasn’t the whimper of a defeated man offered in resignation. That’s why He cleared His throat just moments before, so that His voice could be clearly heard by all.  It was the shout of a mighty victor! “It is finished!” Redemption was paid in full! The word tetelestai was often used in Jesus day on business documents or receipts to show that a bill had been paid in full. No further debt remained! It is finished! There was no further work to do!

We learn another lesson of grace in this single word from Calvary. Grace means there is a purpose and an end to our pain. One pastor put it like this, “When you’re living through a bad day, don’t expect to be able to ‘read’ the full dimensions of God’s redemptive plan in the middle of your struggle, but never doubt the certainty that it is in process. His call ‘It is finished!’ is our call to hold firm in this assurance: His sovereign power will ultimately win the day.” I love that! What a reminder that, despite the pain and hardship we may experience, God has a purpose and a plan. Every problem has a purpose. No sorrow is wasted. The Psalmist declared,

“Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5 (NKJV)

We often live in the night where darkness clouds our vision. We walk by faith and not by sight. But, one day, we shall see as clearly as we are seen, for we shall see our Savior face to face! No matter what you may be enduring always remember that joy comes in the morning! There is a purpose and an end!

“Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Luke 23:46 (NIV) 

Each saying of Jesus from the cross has taught us deeper dimensions of grace! His final statement came on the heels of the one before. While the previous word, “It is finished!” was one of triumph and victory, Jesus final statement was one of trust.

“Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ When He had said this, He breathed His last.” Luke 23:46 (NIV)

Grace means that we can surrender our problem to God and let it go. Sometimes, it seems that what you’re going through will never end. Everything was normal and then, one day, the worst happened. You feel like you’re living in the twilight zone. Nothing is normal. You wonder, Will this ever end? Will I ever feel the same again? How can I move forward? In moments like these, we need the grace of God to surrender the control of our lives in the Father’s hands and let it go. Because we trust our Father’s love and His strong hands to keep us, we can release our hold on life and place it completely and finally in His hands and leave it there. That’s what Jesus did from the cross. Have you ever said, “Father, into Your hands, I commit my life, my marriage, my career, my children, my future?” Whatever you are still holding on to or trying to control that is beyond your ability to change, commit it to God. Rest in His almighty power and experience the freeing grace of letting it go. None of us can really control our lives, but we can all get our lives under His control. Grace means surrendering all my problems to God and letting them go.

“I am thirsty!” John 19:28 (NIV) 

Mark’s account tells us that Jesus had turned down the offer of a drink earlier as they led Him to the cross.

“And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means ‘Place of the Skull’). They offered Him wine drugged with myrrh, but He refused it. Then the soldiers nailed Him to the cross.” Mark 15:22-24a (NLT)

The intent of this mixture was to help dull the senses in anticipation of the excruciating pain for one being crucified. But, Jesus wouldn’t have it. He refused to escape from any of the pain or accept temporary comfort but chose, instead, to remain in command of all His senses. After almost six hours on the cross, had He changed His mind? Certainly the enormous drain of energy, perspiration and loss of blood would create enough dehydration to be thirsty. Yet, when you read the account in John, I think you will agree that He wasn’t asking for a drink to satisfy His thirst alone. There was another reason.

This fifth statement from Jesus while on the cross is closely related to the final two. I believe the reason Jesus asked for something to drink had more to do with what He was about to say. With the cross as His pulpit, Jesus was about to preach His final sermon, and He needed a clear voice to do it. What He was about to say would be too profound, too triumphant to be muttered or choked out. In His humanity, He needed help to prepare for what He was about to say as well as to fulfill two prophecies in the Old Testament found in Psalm 22:15 and 69:21.

Here’s another dimension of grace we find from the cross. Grace means humbly admitting my need. One author put it like this,

“Jesus’ plea for a drink is a reminder that no one is so in control, so spiritual, so self-sufficient, that he can make it through a bad day without people to help him. … If the Son of God requested help during Calvary’s struggle, I am wise to remember that I will have times I need to ask for help, for human assistance, as an avenue of divine grace.”

This isn’t an escape from accepting my own responsibilities but recognition that, in times of overload, I have a community of faith to call on for help to clarify my own confession of faith.

Are you carrying a burden too heavy to bear? Do you feel crushed under its weight and immobilized? Be humble enough to admit your need. As you do, you’ll find greater clarity that will strengthen your faith and embolden you to stand strong. This is one of the great benefits to being actively involved in a community of faith.

“Two are better than one, … If one falls down, his friend can help him up.” Eccl. 4:9 (NIV)

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46 (NIV)

Perhaps the most dramatic words Jesus spoke from the cross are these,

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 

You can almost feel the mental and emotional anguish in those words. Why? Why have You left Me now? Anyone who has ever experienced abandonment can relate. This was the central moment on the cross. It is the fourth of seven final statements. Isaiah 53 tells us that the Lord had laid upon Jesus the iniquity of us all. He took upon Himself the sins of humanity that caused the first breach in fellowship with His Father who was too holy to behold iniquity. And it’s filled with questions. While we could never imagine the depth of Jesus’ pain, we’ve all had times when we felt forsaken, even God-forsaken and wondered, “Why, God?” In those moments, remember you have a Savior who has been there. Jesus understood the despair you feel and taught us a lesson about grace that will keep us from falling. Grace means taking my tough questions to God. God is big enough to handle them. It’s okay to cry out to God and ask why. In fact, it’s the healthiest thing you can do in your darkest hours. In those moments, your greatest need is for God Himself, even more than answers. You need His presence, His assurance, His love. Although He may seem absent, He is not far away. He promised He would never leave us or forsake us. Yet, there are times He may withdraw His conscious presence, and we feel abandoned. Where is He? Job certainly felt that way in his trials. As he searched for God, Job complained,

“But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Job 23:8-10 (NIV)

Wow! While grace teaches us to take our tough questions to God, faith leans on His promises. God knows, and God cares.

“Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’” Luke 23:43 (NKJV) 

Despite His own unimaginable suffering, Jesus offered assurance and comfort to others while He was dying on the cross. The first was to an undeserving criminal who was dying beside Him, and the other was to His own mother. While the soldiers gambled for Jesus’ clothing and the people mocked Him, a brief debate arose between two criminals being crucified beside Him. At first, Jesus was only a spectator in their exchange. Luke gives us the account in verses 39 to 42.

“One of the criminals hanging beside Him scoffed, ‘So You’re the Messiah, are You? Prove it by saving Yourself—and us, too, while You’re at it!’ But the other criminal protested, ‘Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.’” 

Once again, grace unfolds as Jesus looked at this dying criminal and said what he so desperately needed to hear.

“I assure you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” (Vs. 43 NLT)

Both men seemed to be aware of the claims made about Jesus. The sign above His head was written in three languages: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (Vs. 38) While one was cynical and angry, mocking Jesus’ power and seeking his own self-preservation, the other rebuked him accepting the consequences of his own criminal behavior. He also seemed to be aware that Jesus had done nothing wrong to deserve punishment. In a clear confession of his own sinfulness, he made a humble request,

“Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.” (Vs. 42)

I’m impressed with how Jesus answered this dying man. Notice that Jesus didn’t just say, “Today, you will be with Me.” He said, “I assure you …” Jesus knew what this poor soul needed most – assurance! He could die in peace knowing that the promise of God gave him the assurance he needed. There was hope beyond the grave. He could face eternity with the confidence of knowing that his sins were forgiven. His Savior died for every crime he ever committed and offered him a clear pardon!

Grace is giving hope to the hopeless even when we are experiencing the same struggle as they are. Heaven isn’t a place for perfect people. It’s a place for forgiven people. Sadly, only one of the two thieves would be humble enough to admit his need. What about you? If you and I got what we deserved, it would simply be karma. But, Jesus killed karma at the cross, and He instead offers us the same grace that He offered that dying thief. You can experience the same assurance as he did by simply admitting your need and asking Jesus to save you. Do it today.

“When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” John 19:26-27 (NIV) 

There were two other women along with Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the cross and only one remaining disciple, John. All the others had fled for fear of the Romans and the Jewish leaders. No words could possibly describe the unimaginable pain Mary would have suffered watching her son tortured and dying a horrific death on a cross. As with the dying thief beside Him, Jesus took time to care for the needs of His mother. Knowing what she was suffering, despite His own agony, He secured her future care by entrusting her to His beloved disciple, John. In His day, the care of parents depended on the firstborn. There was not a social welfare system to secure the well-being of an aged parent. By this time, Joseph is no longer mentioned and most likely dead. Neither Mary nor Joseph was wealthy, and most likely Mary had little means for support apart from her remaining family. We also know from scripture that neither Jesus’ brothers nor sisters accepted His claim as Messiah until after His resurrection. With Jesus dead, what would happen to Mary? It would only have been natural, given all that Jesus was suffering, to have focused on His own pain. Once again, we see grace unfold. Grace means shifting my focus to the pain of others. In grace, Jesus refused to allow His present pain to dull His sensitivity to the needs of those who depended on Him. When we truly experience Calvary’s love, we grow in grace to a place of concern for others that is greater than our own welfare.

Grace shifts my focus to the pain of others and puts their needs above my own, despite whatever I’m going through. That’s Calvary’s love. It’s a supernatural response that requires a supernatural God indwelling me. If you’re going through a rough time, don’t take it out on others. Take it to the Lord. In His grace, shift your focus from your own pain to the pain that those closest to you may be feeling, and do what you can to meet their needs.

“‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’” Luke 23:34 (NIV)

The last sayings of Jesus on the cross are among the most profound statements of grace ever uttered. They reveal the very heart and character of God, His boundless love for mankind and His unrelenting grace! Nowhere is His deity and humanity more exposed than in those final six hours when He suffered and died for you and me. Jesus’ very first statement, recorded in Luke’s gospel, sets the tone and reveals the attitude of Christ toward His merciless offenders. In Luke 23:34,

“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’”

The natural man would have said, “Father, get them!  Hurt them like they are hurting me! Let them have it!” Bitterness is a natural reaction to hurt. Forgiveness is a supernatural reaction. When Jesus prayed for His offenders and asked His Father to forgive them, He taught us all something about grace.

Grace means releasing my bitterness. Are you still holding onto hurt? Has resentment created a root of bitterness in your heart toward someone who offended you? The problem with holding onto hurt is that it empowers the one who hurt you. They maintain control over you. Forgiveness releases you from their control.  They can no longer victimize you. Not only did Jesus teach us to forgive, but He taught us how by giving us a point of reference. The starting place to forgive others is found in Jesus’ prayer, which is often overlooked.

“‘… they do not know what they are doing.’”

That is not how we feel when we are hurt! On the contrary, it seems that the ones who have wronged us knew exactly what they were doing, and they did it intentionally! Here’s where we begin to understand the mystery of sin:

“Even when sin is calculated, planned thoroughly, conceived carefully, and executed efficiently, no one really understands the depth or dimension of sin’s destructiveness or the degree of its horrible damage to people. In a very real sense, every sin is a sin of ignorance.” 1 Corinthians 2:8 says,

“… for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

If you’ve struggled with forgiving others, or even forgiving yourself, here’s a starting point for you. Every sin I commit, or that is committed against me, is one of ignorance no matter how intentional it was. If I want to be free from bitterness, I must forgive in the same way I was forgiven. When I do, I experience an incredible release from the shackles of resentment.