Life Lessons

The LifeDiscipler

2010-12-06T09:27:00.001-08:00

First of all, let me start by saying as always. I was provided with a LifeDiscipler free of charge and I am in now way obligated to provide a positive feedback regarding this. I am simply required to use it, preview it and provide my honest opinion regarding it use. So here goes!

You probably have not heard of this before, because this is a very new product that is going to be out for Christmas. The company's sole mission is to encourage growth in Christians. They also have a mission of growth of Kingdom resources through fundraising through churches, schools charities and other Christian organizations. If you are interested in finding out more regarding these ways or if you want to order one go to: www.lifediscipler.com.

Now for the review, it is very simple and easy to use. You can attach it to a key chain, a purse or carry it in your pocket. It provides you with constant Bible verses without searching and it has an audible alarm. If you are having a bad day and you are in the elevator or at your desk, simply pull out the lifediscipler and see what it has to offer with over 40 different life subjects and about 1500 verses you are sure to find something to inspire you or life you up. Now, I have carried this around with me personally for over a month doing exactly what I have said here above. Personally, I prefer to go directly to the source (The Word of God) and read and look up scriptures, but when I did not have time or I didn't have my Bible in my hand, I found this to be really handy and encouraging.

So, I do recommend this for just so types of times. Now here is the kicker, it will be selling for around $29.99 and you can purchase covers as well for $3.99. I am aloud to provide you will a code that will give you 20% off! This code is only good through the Christmas season (December 30,2010). The coupon code is "GROW20"

If you are looking for a gift for someone and you just can't figure out what they could use, I would recommend this! I am going to be showing mine to everyone and let them know about it! Be sure to check it out at www.lifediscipler.com or in Family Christian stores everywhere, but you can only use the coupon code online.

Homeless for the Holidays

2010-11-22T10:31:00.001-08:00

I want to share with you about a movie called “Homeless for the Holidays.” I was provided a free copy of this movie and I am in no way obligated to give a positive review. But, being a Christian and me personally not having a job since April 2009 this movie hits home for me in a lot of ways. Now, while I have been looking for a job since that time for me I know that God has called me into full-time ministry and my wife has a job. We have not lost our house, our phone or our electricity. The acting is not the greatest, but the message resonates true. We are not put on this earth to have a great house, car or job, but we are here to show others what is the true meaning life.

If you are interested in finding out more about this film, go to: http://homelessfortheholidaysmovie.com

In Mark 12:30, Jesus tells us what is the greatest commandment: “To love the Lord God will all your heart, mind, soul and strength” and the second is to “Love your neighbors as you love yourself.”

Jack in the film probably did love himself a whole lot in beginning, but in the end I believe he came to love and respect himself a whole lot more. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone. It is rated for all ages and it is really a very inspiring movie that is based on a true story. We don’t truly know where our life journey will take us, but as long as we know that we have accepted God only Son as our Savior then we can know that He will always be with us and that we can probably learn along the way.

God bless!

The Seven Minute Difference

2010-10-21T10:30:00.001-07:00

I don't normally post this type of blog, but I am working with a group called Buzz Plant. They sent me a book and a daily planner to review and tell what I thought. I am not obligated in any way to provide a positive review. The book and the planner were provided free to me to review.

After reviewing the book and the planner for several weeks, I have found that this combination by Allyson Lewis is actually not your ordinary run of the mill planner. It is not simply a step by step, do this and you will be organized combination. She provides a refreshing and humorous way for anyone, no matter what they do help organize their life. She also does not lose sight of providing the knowledge and methods along the way to accomplish getting organized. I believe that you will be amazed and just how easy it is. I am not someone who believes anything simply because someone says it, I am a firm believer in trying it out and verifying the information.

I did exactly as the book suggests, I spent just 7 minutes a day trying to help organize my life and I found it actually quite fun and it reallyhttp://www.the7minutelifesystem.com has helped me along the way! If you have any questions, please feel free to check it out for yourself at: http://www.the7minutelifesystem.com for more information.

Here are also 7 videos you can review to learn more about the system: http://www.the7minutelifesystem.com/videos

I highly encourage you whether you are someone who is highly organized or someone desiring to be more organized to check it out and try for yourself! Allyson Lewis actually makes it fun to get organized.

I would love to hear your comments and your feedback as well.

Waiting on God

2010-07-09T13:53:00.000-07:00

HEZEKIAH
A CRISIS FOR TESTING

Steps to Waiting on God uses the story of King Hezekiah in Isaiah 38 who all of a sudden heard about his oncoming death. We find three key principles to shape our own decision making.

We have often heard the phrase 'waiting on God.' We know it is important but are not sure how it fits into our Christian lives. Sometimes the actual word 'waiting' or the phrase 'waiting on God' or 'waiting upon God' is used in a scriptural passage.

At other times, however the teaching is present without the express words 'to wait upon the Lord.' This slice into Hezekiah's life is like that. It gives us practical steps to waiting on God.

Hezekiah gives us an example of waiting on God. He just heard some shocking news.

In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, "Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.' " (Isaiah 38:1).

Hezekiah heard that he was going to die. This left him desperate just like it would leave you or me - absolutely shaken. The time frame for waiting here compared to Abraham is much shorter. We are talking about days rather than decades with Abraham. The training is different. But Hezekiah's matter was urgent. How would Hezekiah respond?

We should note that God left no other door open for Hezekiah than absolute rejection of God. God simply announced through His prophet that he was going to die. There was no offer of promise that if he did this or that, then God would heal him.

We often read this story as if God had given him a promise. But this is not the case here. So how did Hezekiah respond? How would you have responded?

Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the LORD, and said, "Remember now, O LORD, I beseech Thee, how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Thy sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. (Isaiah 38:2,3, NASB).

This announcement brought Hezekiah down on his knees to wait upon the Lord. He desperately prayed. Although his circumstances would be much different than ours, I believe we can see three important principles to waiting upon the Lord.

Trust
If we do not trust God, then we will get bitter. We will believe His love or doubt it. This is the ultimate test. The testing forces us to make an important decision on how we will relate to the Lord. If we believe the Lord doesn't care for us, then we will turn to despair (I am doomed), self-help books (own resources) or bitterness.

Previous trust is important to establish a trust decision during a crisis. Hezekiah made this trust decision. He turned to God rather than away from Him. If we can't clearly think at such a time, just remember to turn toward the Lord.
Reject
We must consciously turn away from using other resources that we could turn to. We need to reject paths without God. The text is silent about this. But from this silence, we see that Hezekiah did not pull our his kingly reserves and see what could be done. This is because he believed God's message. Hezekiah would die. This was the end of his life.

He realized that he had nothing else to trust in. He could have tested God's Word by seeking medical help or the sage of philosophers, but he didn't. If we are a bit confused as to what the next step is, remember that we are not to first look at our resources. We need to reject them, even consciously if needed. We need to trust in the Lord for His methods.
Pray
My advice to people seeking God's will is to pray and stop thinking; pray and stop planning; pray and stop talking. Did you ever talk with someone who was willing to talk to everyone but God about His problems?!

Prayer is prayer. We are called to talk to God about our problems so we can sense what we should do. To be true, prayer does take on many forms and means, but essentially it is talking to God about your circumstances. We need to seek the Lord in prayer. Hezekiah had two parts to his prayer.

He asked God to remember him.
Hezekiah needed God to remember his own plight. No one else could change things. Does anyone believe that God did not remember his situation? I doubt it. God knows everything. We can't say He forgot someone like we sometimes do. More than this, King Hezekiah stated asked God to remember him now. He really believed the prophet's word about his impending death. His window of life was short. He needed instant action.
He told God about his life.
This might sound a bit strange, but Hezekiah wanted God to remember what kind of life he had lived up to this point. If for any reason it was blocked from God's mind, Hezekiah believed his life was important enough to tell God about it. This was essentially telling God about his life and goals. He was no doubt hoping that God would reevaluate his circumstances. However, Hezekiah came short of asking God for healing. This didn't seem to make a bit of difference.

Hezekiah's prayer ended with bitter tears as his amen. The words he sent before God were soaked in tears from his heart. Various people will pray differently but all must pray if they are to wait upon God.

The Lord heard his desperate prayer. He did not need to wait long on God for an answer, but He did wait. He received an additional 15 years of life.

The principles above highlight that this waiting upon God is a process. This would not be the first or last time for him or us to wait upon God. God develops these life encounters so that we will be protected, strengthened, redirected and recommitted

After his illness and recovery, King Hezekiah wrote a poem of thanks to God.

A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, after his illness and recovery: I said, "In the middle of my life I am to enter the gates of Sheol; I am to be deprived of the rest of my years." I said, "I shall not see the LORD, The LORD in the land of the living; I shall look on man no more among the inhabitants of the world. "Like a shepherd's tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me; As a weaver I rolled up my life. He cuts me off from the loom; From day until night Thou dost make an end of me. "I composed my soul until morning. Like a lion--so He breaks all my bones, From day until night Thou dost make an end of me. "Like a swallow, like a crane, so I twitter; I moan like a dove; My eyes look wistfully to the heights; O Lord, I am oppressed, be my security. "What shall I say? For He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done it; I shall wander about all my years because of the bitterness of my soul. "O Lord, by these things men live; And in all these is the life of my spirit; O restore me to health, and let me live! "Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness; It is Thou who hast kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, For Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back. "For Sheol cannot thank Thee, Death cannot praise Thee; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Thy faithfulness. "It is the living who give thanks to Thee, as I do today; A father tells his sons about Thy faithfulness. "The LORD will surely save me; So we will play my songs on stringed instruments All the days of our life at the house of the LORD." (Isaiah 38:9-20).

These 3 points are something that I have been dwelling on over the last 15 months that God has been leading me through to bring Angie and I to the place we are now. With Shiloh almost 7 months old and getting ready to step out in faith as an International Student Pastor working with Lighthouse Christian Fellowship and Inter Face Ministries in the greater Antioch, TN area. Look for more to follow!

What should we learn from silence

2010-04-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

Matthew 15:21-28 - v.23 "Jesus did not answer a word."

What are we to make of a Savior who does not answer? The request of the woman whose daughter was demon-possessed was legitimate. Her acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord was accurate; her understanding of His will was appropriate. And yet, as with many of our seemingly appropriate prayer requests, He does not answer "a word."
Our response to His silence is often too timid. We backpedal, saying that perhaps our requests was not in line with His will, or maybe we assume that we didn't have enough faith, because if we ask anything even the removal of a mountain and do not doubt, it will be done (Matthew 21:21). So we stop requesting and do all sorts of backpedaling to justify the fact that God has not answered our prayer. But deep inside we know that His promises are certain and that we water down Scripture by explaining why we did not experience them.
Children learn much about their friends by playing hide and seek. They experience how their friends' minds work. They don't give up when they cannot find them at first; an exciting encounter will take place if they keep looking. Maybe God is preparing us for an encounter with Him?
We need to contemplate this silence of Jesus in the Gentile woman's hour of great need. We need to remember that none, not one of His promises guarantees an immediate answer to prayer. In His silence, He expects her continuing response of faith. She must ask herself: Am I sure of His goodness and His mercy according to Matthew 15:22? Am I sure He is able and willing according to v.25? Do I know that God's blessing is given freely, not earned v.27?
God often does not answer us immediately, but He encourages our persistence. He invites us in the silence to explore His character, learn of His will, and gain a proper perspective of who we fit into His plans. He tells us to seek and we will find.
Ask yourself what is God wanting me to wait on to hear or receive from Him?

George Muller says, "The great point is never to give up until the answer comes."

Easter

2010-04-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

Christ died for our sins. That is the gospel as recorded by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:3. There are three things that we can learn from this statement. (1) "Christ died" means there are historical facts relating to the death of Jesus Christ. (2) "for our sins" means we are given God's interpretation of the historical facts of the crucifixion of Christ. (3) "Christ died for our sins" means we can see the application of redemption in the lives of God's elect.

Jesus Predicts His Death

What is the historical background of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? During the last days of his earthly ministry Jesus took his apostles to Caesarea Philippi, where he revealed to them what would happen to him in a few days in Jerusalem. He said he would suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life (Matt. 16, Mark 8). He said the same thing as he came down from the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17, Mark 9). And on his way to Jerusalem Jesus again revealed to the disciples the purpose of his incarnation in these words: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom in place of many" (Matt. 20:28, Mark 10:45).

Who are the many for whom Jesus would die? Their identity is revealed to us in his high priestly prayer in John 17:2, 6, 9, 11, 12, 24. They are those whom God the Father had given him from all eternity so that he could give them eternal life. They are the Father's gift to the Son, the elect ones. Jesus Christ came to die in behalf of them and them alone.

Just two days before the Passover Jesus once again told his disciples of his impending death: "As you know, the Passover is two days away and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified" (Matt. 26:2). Soon thereafter, one of his own apostles, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and made a deal to hand Jesus over to them for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, tried illegally by the Sanhedrin, and condemned to die. The Jews brought him to the Roman governor Pilate who, even though he declared three times that Jesus was innocent of any crime, handed him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

The 30 pieces of silver today would be worth around $950 today. According to the Professional Coin Grading Service, “The value of 30 of these coins was significant at the time. Such a sum likely would have purchased a small farm. Quite a bribe for the time…” On average, a Small farm goes for around $240,000 in our country today . . . which would consist of the farmhouse for the farmer and the family, barns, equipment, along with 120 acres on which to plant and harvest crops.

I. The Death of the Cross : Throughout the religious and civil trials and prior to his crucifixion, Jesus suffered much physically, as he had predicted. He was mocked, hit, beaten and whipped with the dreaded scourge. His back became furrowed which creates long narrow ruts or grooves from the scourging, his face became formless from the brutal beatings, and blood flowed from his head down to his face. Then the suffering, condemned Jesus was given his own cross to carry through the streets to the place of execution. The Romans conducted processions as a warning to the public that they should behave themselves and not engage in any kind of seditious political activity. But what is God's interpretation of this procession? Just as the body of a sin offering victim would be burned outside the camp of ancient Israel, "so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his blood," says the writer of Hebrews (Heb. 13:12). Jesus was facing the worst form of execution of his time--crucifixion. The Sanhedrin could have asked that Jesus merely be banished as punishment for his presumed seditious activity, but they wanted him to be crucified.

· Why did they insist on crucifixion? Because in Deuteronomy 21:23 it says that "anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse." The enmity against Jesus was so intense that the religious leaders desired to heap upon Jesus maximum indignity and shame.

· In Philippians 2:8 Paul tells us that “Jesus humbled himself even to the death of the cross.” Jesus bore his cross all the way to the city gate, but at that point he stumbled and was not able to carry it anymore. Imagine the state of exhaustion of Jesus at this point! Remember that he suffered so much agony in Gethsemane that his sweat was like drops of blood, we are told. Then:

o (1) During his unjust trial before Annas he was struck in the face by the chief priests and leaders.

o (2) Think of the anguish Jesus suffered when Peter denied three times that he knew Jesus!

o (3) Think of the illegal trial by Caiaphas and how those present spit in his face, struck him with their fists, slapped him, and mocked him.

o (4) Think of the trial again before the Sanhedrin early in the morning.

o (5) Think of standing trial before Pilate,

o (6) before Herod Antipas, and

o (7) again before Pilate.

o (8) Think of the scourging and physical and verbal abuse of the soldiers.

o (9) Think of the lack of sleep and food he endured. All this culminated in a state of total exhaustion for Jesus, the condemned Son of God. He had no strength left in him to carry his own cross to the place of execution.

II. Take up the Cross : As he watched Jesus stumble and fall, the Roman officer in charge noticed a man, Simon of Cyrene, passing by. Simon was probably a Jew from the Diaspora, a Cyrenian from Libya. There were many Cyrenian Jews in Jerusalem as we are told in the book of Acts. The Roman officer commandeered Simon to carry Jesus' cross for him.

· He could do so because the Romans had the power to requisition people at any time for any service they desired to be performed. A Roman could come and touch your shoulder with the back of his spear, signaling to you that you were selected for service.

· Why was Simon of Cyrene chosen for this task and not someone else? I believe this was divine plan. In my view Simon was an elect of God, and so he was given the opportunity to carry Christ's cross, hear words from Christ's lips and watch Christ's death in behalf of him, so that he could put his trust in him. As the procession resumed, then, Simon of Cyrene walked behind Jesus, carrying his cross. In so doing, Simon gave us a physical illustration of the principle Jesus taught of taking up the cross daily and following him.

The procession arrived at the place called Golgotha, which means skull in Hebrew. It is also called Calvary, from the Latin word calva, which also means skull. Why was it called that? Some say the site was a hill that looked like a skull, and those who visited Gordon's Calvary in Jerusalem have seen that shape of a skull on a nearby hill. One legend says that at Golgotha the skull of Adam was discovered, but we doubt that very seriously. Others say the place was called Golgotha because as a place of execution there would be many skulls lying around. However, no one today can be very certain of the site of Calvary. The traditional site is covered by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but an alternative site is Gordon's Calvary, near a highway facing a hill that looks like a skull and by a garden in which there is a first-century tomb.

III. A Despicable Death: When they reached Golgotha, Simon's service was finished. Four soldiers, under the leadership of a centurion, crucified Jesus. He was crucified along with two thieves. Because everyone at that time knew the brutality of crucifixion, the gospel writers do not give us a detailed description of it. However, we read of it in other sources. The Roman Cicero said it was the most cruel and horrifying death possible, and Tacitus the historian called it a despicable death.

· Crucifixion was reserved for slaves and criminals convicted of serious crimes. Roman citizens were exempt from this cruel form of punishment. This form of execution originated with the Persians. They thought the earth was too sacred to be defiled by the dead body of a criminal, so they would nail a person's body to a cross and leave it there to be consumed by vultures. Later, Carthaginians adopted this method of execution, and Romans learned it from the Carthaginians.

· Dr. D. A. Carson describes crucifixion in his commentary on Matthew: “Crucifixion was unspeakably painful and degrading. Whether tied or nailed to the cross, the victim endured countless paroxysms as he pulled with his arms and pushed with his legs to keep the chest cavity open for breathing and then collapsed in exhaustion until the demand for oxygen demanded renewed paroxysms. The scourging, the loss of blood, the shock from the pain, all produced agony that could go on for days, ending at last by suffocation, cardiac arrest, or loss of blood. When there was reason to hasten death, the execution squad would smash the victim's legs. Death followed almost immediately, either from shock or from collapse that cut off breathing.”

Among Jews the horror of the cross was greater still because of Deuteronomy 21:23: “Anyone who is hanged on a tree is under God's curse.” In Israelite law this meant the corpse of a judicially executed criminal was hung up for public exposure that branded him as cursed by God. The words were also applied in Jesus' day to anyone crucified; and therefore the Jews' demand that Jesus be crucified rather than banished [and that demand] was aimed at arousing maximum public revulsion toward Jesus of Nazareth."

We are told that Jesus was offered some wine mixed with gall, or myrrh, a narcotic, so that he would not feel as much pain. Probably the wealthy women of Jerusalem provided it to crucifixion victims as a charitable activity. There were instruction in the Talmud that when a man was led to execution, he was given a goblet of wine containing a grain of frankincense in order to benumb his senses, because it says in Proverbs 31:6 to give strong drink to those who are ready to perish and wine to those who are bitter in soul. But Jesus refused to drink the stupefying concoction. He would experience the pain and shame of crucifixion to its fullest extent with an alert mind.

After nailing Jesus to the cross, the four soldiers divided up his personal effects, which consisted of a turban, a girdle, sandals, an inner garment and an outer garment. They divided the items by lots into four even shares, and then cast lots for the seamless inner garment which they agreed not to divide. These soldiers did not know it, but they were unconsciously fulfilling scriptures by gambling on Jesus' clothes (Ps. 22:18).

"It Is Finished!"

Jesus was crucified at nine in the morning, but at noon something strange happened, which is recorded in the gospel histories. Instead of maximum daylight total darkness came upon the land and lasted for three hours. This was not due to an eclipse. It was a supernatural miracle, a divine signal of God's judgment upon sin, as we read in Amos 8:9-10, "'In that day,' declares the Sovereign Lord, 'I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your religious feasts into mourning and your singing into weeping. . . '"

Around 3 p.m. Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?'--'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" One of the people standing by the cross ran and gave him some sour wine to drink.

· At the moment of Jesus' cry of dereliction the priests who were offering the evening sacrifice in the Holy Place of the temple were startled to see the thick veil separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place supernaturally bisect and tear asunder from top to bottom. Simultaneously there was a great earthquake in Jerusalem that split rocks and caused tombs to break open.

· Then Jesus came out of the tunnel of the total darkness of divine abandonment into the glorious light of God's favor. After committing his spirit to the Father, he died, as we read in Luke 23:46: "Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' When he had said this, he breathed his last." Fellowship with God was restored, the abandonment of the Son came to an end, and the smile of the Father resumed. That is the history of the crucifixion.

The Theology of Crucifixion

What does this historical crucifixion of Jesus Christ mean? We find God's interpretation of these events in the writings of the apostles in the Scriptures.

· The gospel of Matthew opens with an angel telling Joseph that he is to name the child Jesus, "because he will save his people from their sins."

· In John 1:29 John the Baptist spoke of Jesus, saying, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

· And in Matthew 20:28 Jesus himself said that the Son of Man "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

· And in John 19:30, Jesus declared, "Tetelestai --It is finished," and died.

What did Jesus mean when he said "It is finished"? He was referring to his work of atonement. Jesus accomplished the work that God the Father gave him to do by paying up our debt on the cross. This is the interpretation and meaning of Christ's crucifixion. This is theology.

I. He Became Sin: In I Corinthians 15:3 Paul wrote, "Christ died for our sins"--huper ton hamartian hemon, in behalf of our sins Christ died. That is the theology of Christ's death. In Ephesians 5:25 Paul wrote, "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her," in behalf of her. Again, that is theology. There is meaning to this event for God's people. An unbeliever, a natural man, might read the history of Christ's crucifixion, but he will never understand anything other than that a criminal named Jesus was crucified by Rome unless God gives him understanding.

· In the Old Testament we are given the meaning of the crucifixion of Christ in Isaiah 53. Verses 4-6 tell us, "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted." This would be the interpretation of people who are not enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

· But now Isaiah gives us God's interpretation: "But he was pierced for our transgressions. . ." For our transgressions! That is theology. That is meaning. That is God's revelation. "He was crushed for our iniquities"--not for his iniquities, but ours! Isaiah continues, "The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

· In II Corinthians 5:21 Paul says, "God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God." This is the theology of Christ's crucifixion. God the Father made him sin. How did he do that? God heaped on Jesus all the iniquity, trespasses, and sins of all the people whom the Father has given him as gift. He imputed it to Jesus that he may give them eternal life in this way.

Why did God do this? Why did he lay on Jesus all of our iniquity? So that we might become the righteousness of God in him. That is also imputation. God put our sin in its totality upon Jesus--punishing, judging, abandoning and pouring out his wrath upon Christ--and he puts upon us his perfect righteousness, the seamless robe of Christ's perfect righteousness.

II. He Became Cursed: In Galatians 3:13 Paul writes, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree,'" and in I Corinthians 15:56 we read, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law" that says he who sins must die. The wages of sin is death, but thanks to God who gives us victory through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Rom. 6:23, I Co. 15:57)

· Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. And so we notice in I Corinthians 2:2 Paul tells the Corinthians, "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." The heart of the gospel is that Christ was crucified in our place. And so in Galatians 6:14 Paul writes, "May I never boast in anything except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."

· How did Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, interpret the crucifixion of Christ? In I Peter 2:21 he says, "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you." And verse 24: "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree. . . by his wounds you have been healed.'" If you do not understand what the cross is all about, then I pity you. If that is true of you, then you are lost and outside the pale of salvation. Then you cannot meet God as Father and Savior, but you will meet him as Judge. But if you do understand what the meaning of Christ's death is as God has revealed it, then you, together with Peter and Paul, will glory in the cross of Jesus Christ. You will not want to know anything other than Jesus Christ and him crucified, for therein is our salvation and our righteousness.

III. He Removed the Veil: The writer of the book of Hebrews also gives us great insight into the meaning of the events of the crucifixion. When Jesus died on the cross, the priests who were in the Holy Place noticed something. What was it?

· A miraculous bisecting of the thick veil that separated people from the presence of God. And the Hebrew writer gives the theology of that miracle in Hebrews 10:19-22: "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience, and having our bodies washed with pure water."

Could anyone enter the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament times? No. No one could go in, except the high priest, and he could do so only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, with blood.

· But as we are told in Hebrews 10:4, "it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins"--to save anyone, in other words. Then Jesus Christ came, who is called a high priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6 and 7). When he died on the cross, when he finished the work of atonement, when he declared, "Tetelestai --it is finished," and breathed his last by committing his spirit to the Father, at that moment the curtain split open supernaturally, opening up a new and living way for every person who trusts in the atonement of Jesus Christ.

So we are told by the Hebrew writer in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence. . ." We won't die, in other words. The wrath and anger of God is gone, and our guilt is taken care of by Christ. We are now invited to come before this awesome God in great confidence "so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time in need."

This is theology. The curtain that separated us from God was torn in two when Christ died on the cross. Now all those who trust in Christ can approach God with confidence, and we will not die. Why? Christ died in our place. Our sin is dealt with in Christ, and fellowship with God is restored for us in Jesus Christ.

IV. The Heart of it: What is the heart of this theology? Read Romans 3:25-26. "God presented him"--God the Father presented Jesus Christ--"as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice. . ."

· Punishment is always the demonstration that God is just and God punishes sin.

· The sins of God's people in the Old Testament were not punished, but now the sins of all God's elect have been punished in the person of Jesus Christ. By so doing, God the Father was demonstrating his justice. God is just and must punish sin.

· He punished our sin in Jesus Christ and therefore, he can justify us. Read verse 26: "He did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." All this is for the benefit of those who have faith in Jesus. All the sin of all the elect people of God was punished when he laid our sin upon Christ and punished him. Remember how Christ cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" It is a real cry of dereliction but it is also mysterious.

V. The Cauldron of God's Wrath: The wages of sin is death, and Christ died for us, went to hell for us, and suffered the wrath of God for us. The cauldron that was full of the wrath of God against sin in its totality was poured upon Christ when he hung on the cross in Golgotha. Look at the cauldron now:

· It is empty.

· That is why God's wrath is gone forever for us.

· There is no wrath remaining to be poured out in behalf of us. God has demonstrated his justice in full by punishing Jesus Christ in our place.

What, then, remains for us in God if the wrath and hell are gone?

· Only love remains for us.

· Only eternal life remains for us.

· Only heaven remains for us.

· Only communion with God remains for us.

We know that Christ died. In time and space Jesus Christ was crucified, and through that historical event God the Father demonstrated his justice. The sting of sin was taken away and the law was dealt with. That is history.

· But the meaning of the crucifixion is this: Christ died for us--for our sins. That means there is no more wrath for those who trust in Jesus Christ. That is theology.

Now, you may ask the question, "Why am I experiencing trouble, persecution, and problems?"

· That is discipline. We are told in Revelation 3:19, "Those I love I rebuke and discipline." Such problems are not the wrath of God. No, it is love.

· And because God's wrath is removed from you, that does not mean that we are exempt from the persecutions of the world. No, there is Satan who is still opposed to you, but God is not opposed to you.

· God is for us, and he said he will never leave us nor forsake us. He abandoned his own Son so that He may never abandon us. And Jesus himself said, "I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:20).

Are You Saved?

Has your hell been taken away by Jesus Christ? If you are not sure that this great transaction has taken place for you, then you must make it certain. There are only two classes of people: those who are saved and those who are perishing. There is no third class.

What about your children or other family members? Have you asked them, "Are you saved? Have you trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation?" Have you confronted them with that question in all its clarity and definitiveness? If the answer is no, let me assure you, they are perishing. When they die, they will meet with God as Judge.

We may want to create our own theology, but it will not work on the last day. God has exalted his word in the heavens, and we can glory in the foolishness of the gospel, that "Christ died for me, even for me." The way to the Father has been opened up, and the Scripture encourages us to go to him. We can come with confidence through the blood of Christ.

The Promise of a resurrection

2010-03-30T14:24:00.001-07:00

Mark 9:31 "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him and after three days He will RISE."

Death surrounds us. It is on out TVs and in our newspapers. It has taken family members, friends and coworkers. It will come to each of us. For all who are crushed by the reality of the fall of man, Jesus gives this promise. There is a resurrection. Maybe we have heard this from the pulpit so often that we have lost a sense of amazement over this impossible claim. I mean this just does not happen in the eyes of world. This is simply not a logical statement. Most religions have a form of afterlife, but to be physically raised from the dead? No one has ever made that kind of claim. Except Jesus Christ. Even His disciples, who had seen Him raise Lazarus, a widow's son and a little girl were dumbfounded (v. 32). They did not know what to make of this prediction, because it was beyond their comprehension. It just didn't seem possible. People die they are buried or cremated period. But, Jesus erased the period. His resurrection, from from being an exclusive privilege of the Son of God, means everything for us! it reversed the curse of death that we brought upon ourselves at the fall. it is the re-genesis, the beginning of a new creation. And when we become believers and followers of Christ, we are invited to be a part of it!

The promise of this resurrection is astounding. Every privilege of the risen Jesus, in all of His glory is offered to us to partake in. It is the reality of the eternal promises of God:

- He intercedes for us at the right hand of God (Hebrews 7:25)

- He lives in us (John 14:20)(Galatians 2:20)

- He exercises all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18)

- Not only is He exalted, but we are seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6)

- We are fellow heirs of His inheritance (Romans 8:17)

- We have eternal life (John 6:40)

These are magnificent and astonishing truths. As we get closer to Good Friday, let us not dwell on His death on the cross. Don't get me wrong, without the death there could be no life. Just remember the best part is yet to come. Stayed tuned and remember that we must be ready!

God's timing is always on time!

2010-03-03T08:36:00.001-08:00

"Now Is the Acceptable Time The Spirit of the Lord God is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and freedom to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn."—Isaiah 61:1–2
God's timing is perfect! When He speaks, the time to respond in obedience is now. We often act as if we have all the time in the world to obey Him, but history doesn't wait on our commitments. There is no such thing as postponing a decision with God. Either we obey, or we disobey. It is either faith or unbelief, obedience or disobedience. When God announces that now is the acceptable time, what you do next is critical. How often people have been unprepared when a word came to them from the Lord. God said, “Now is the time for you to respond to Me” and their response was, “But I'm not ready. I have some things I need to do first. I'm too busy!” (Matt. 8:21). God's timing is always perfect. He knows you, and He is fully aware of your circumstances. He knows all that He has built into your life until now, and He extends His invitation knowing that His resources are more than adequate for any assignment He gives you. That is why Scripture tells us God is concerned with our heart. If we do not keep our heart in love with Jesus, our disobedience when God speaks could affect the lives of others. When God speaks it is always out of the context of eternity. We don't have to know all the implications of what He is asking. We just have to know that it is a word from almighty God. “Now” is always the acceptable time to respond to the Lord! —Experiencing God Day by Day

Sharing Mercy

2010-02-26T08:08:00.000-08:00

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Matt 9:13
How much like our Master are we in this regard? Are we more zealous for our reputation that we are for His lost sheep? With whom do we fellowship? If we placed ourselves at this dinner at Matthew's house, would we be more likely to react like the Pharisees or like the Savior? Our answer to these questions tells us whether or not we have forgotten where we came from.
Jesus ate with tax collectors who were considered traitors to the Jews, treacherous money grubbing extortionists. He also mingled with prostitutes and other unsavory characters, so much so that He was accused of gluttony and drunkenness. Why would the Messiah allow His reputation to be so tarnished? Because the gospel was meant for such as these.
Is it meant for us, too? What about those of us who claim no such degradation in our past? It's there. It may be buried deep within us, and we may have covered it well, but if we don't know it's in there we're likely to become like the Pharisees at Matthew's table. We've forgotten that it was once just as offensive for Jesus to dine with us.
Anyone who is appalled at the depravity of someone else doesn't understand the gospel. In order to understand the gospel, we must begin by knowing that we are all children of Adam and as such are partakers in the rebellion common to man. That this rebellion manifests itself in one person as murder and in another as a selfish fib is no matter - it all comes from the same seed. Some sinners are more whitewashed than others, but rebellion is at the core of us all. Knowing this does not leave room for the mind of a Pharisee, it casts us on our faces, grateful for His mercy. Know this gospel of mercy, savor it, never forget it. And welcome others into it.

"Mercy imitates God and disappoints Satan." John Chrysostom

Things are changing

2009-10-30T10:43:00.000-07:00

Well,
I have not updated this since August 09 and yet it seems like an eternity. But, in perspective to God's time it has only been a few minutes. I am reminded that change is inevitable, God loves change. We as a people not so much. We tend to prefer no ripples in the pond, keep things simple and just the way they were. The problem with this attitude is that when we stay there too long we become something else....complacent. This is defined as: pleased, esp. with oneself or one's merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect; self-satisfied: smug, unbothered, untroubled. I don't know about you, but I find that very troubling and not a place I care to be. When we become so set in our ways that we lose awareness of potential dangers. This is true in our everyday life as well as our spiritual life. Because we know according to the Word of God that Satan goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may destroy. But, if we are daily putting on the armor of God and are vigilantly alert then we can use the shield of faith to stop any arrows that the devil will try to hurl at us. The key of course is that we absolutely must allow God to work in us and through us because we cannot do it alone. We can do all things through God who strengthens us. Not my words, but Gods. So remember when you are feeling down feeling like you just can't handle it...you don't have to, turn it over to God let Him carry the burden and trust that He will not only provide a means for you to make it, but He will protect you from the devil. Let me know what you think or if you have any comments.

Shining Lights

2009-08-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

Your eye is the lamp of your body. Luke 11:34

Many commentators see a Hebrew idiom in this verse: "a good eye" refers to generosity and "a bad eye" refers to stinginess. Others broaden the image to include truth and purity on the positive side, covetousness and lust on the negative. No matter how one takes the symbolism, Jesus is clear: What our eyes see -what we strive for and what we take in - is important. The conduct of your eyes, literally and figuratively, with regard to money and other human passions, determines to a large degree the amount of light we receive from God.
Just as light allows us to see into once-dark places, our eyes allow us to understand who we really are in the depths of our souls. If your eyes take in the true light that comes from God- His Word and the glory of His gospel in Christ - we see well. There is clarity and wisdom that can only come from seeing things as God sees them. But if our eyes consume garbage-the cravings of sinful man and the pride of sel-indulgence-then we see ourselves in the dark, obscurely and distortedly, if at all. What we choose to see has a lot to dow ith whether we are walking in God's light and whether we are shining His light for others to see.
Joyful generosity is a clear indication that one is walking in the light. So are purity and God-directed desires. Stinginess, self-indulgence, and impure vision are likewise clear indications that one is NOT walking in the light. And all of these are cultivated by what we choose--and refuse--to see.
With what do you feed your soul? Can you set it on a stand for others to see? One of a Christian's greatest struggles is trying to see it all-we become confused and divided. Do we gaze on light, darkness, or both? If you really want to know, do an inventory of things that fill your eyes, metaphorically speaking. Is your vision occupied with money? lustfulness? selfish extravagance? If so, be careful for what you see. Purify you sight, and let your light shine.

William Secker said, "The body has two eyes, but the soul must have but one."

The Perfect Storm

2009-07-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

Several years ago a movie came out that told about how despite warnings an experienced group of fishermen went out with their trawler and died in what was termed a 'perfect storm'. Weather patterns converged to create a storm of the century. For the last several years another type of perfect storm has been forming in the economic world. Our former treasury secretary Alan Greenspan warned us several times during the 90's and early in this decade of what he termed 'irrational exuberance'. A better term for this might have been drunken stupor. We were drunk on making money based on speculation and the lie that the party would never end. It seemed a few years ago that just about everyone I knew was "dealing". Not drugs mind you but real estate. People kept asking me if I was investing in real estate. I told them I knew nothing about it and even if I did had no money to invest anyway!One major lie can lead to a massive collapse of what you and I build our lives on. The assumption in our economy was thay everyone should live the American dream and own their own home. Trouble was that if you are irresonsible and don't know how to work hard and save that the home you own was really a scam. A huge ponzi robbery scheme developed where everyone put their hand in the cookie jar of real etate. People just didn't take what wasn't thiers.... they assisted in stealing our entire nations future for a party built on lies.The way home from this hangover will take decades not years. A surgery won't cure it. A bail out won't cure it. A change in governments won't cure it. A change of heart and behavior will. But even repentance and a change in lifestyle will need to be walked out one step at a time. It will take years of accountability and commitment to live the old fashioned way of "pay as you go".Until recently 70 percent of our nations economy was built on consumer spending. Trouble is we spent 130 percent of what we made. That is we OVERSPENT big time. Now the bubble is burst and even massive printing of fake money from the U.S. government cannot sustain a lifestyle built on lies. We have a unique opportunity to do the right thing and quit the easy temptation to believe more lies. The voices will continue to call to you and me: eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Don't buy this lie from hell.Let's live a life of meaning and service to something that goes way beyond selfish pleasure. When we seek first the kingdom of God all we really need wil be provided. What we don't need will fall away as our hearts change and pure joy is given from the inside out.

The Power of Music

2009-06-28T20:10:00.000-07:00

You know some people are so blind as to how powerful music really is. Satan was pretty much the greatest worship leader ever at one point. He was the worship leader in Heaven for all the angels. His problem was that began to think that he was as good and eventually thought that he should be above God. Satan has continued to use music to this day to bring people down the wrong path.
Having said this, I am definitely not saying that all music is bad, infact quite the opposite. The reality is that the same thing that Satan did in Heaven is what he continues to do to this day and that is to twist something that is wonderful and designed by God. Satan's tricks are new, he just continues to disguises them. Music is something that is wonderful and powerful, but like anything that is created for God we have the choice to use it for good or bad. Words play a significant part in music. I have heard countless people tell me that "I love the music, but I have not really listened to the words" or "there just words.." Both of these are really dangerous ways to think and here is why: I found 23 verses in the Bible that talk about the significance of words. Not to mention..John 1:1 which says that in the beginning was the Word...
- Words have the ability to build up or destroy. A saying that I absolutely cannot stand is "sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt me." Really, what a lie. I have a friend that I grew up with that had to listen everyday as his parents told him he would never amount to anything and that he was a loser. I tried to tell him to not base who he is or was going to be on what they said, but eventually he began to get in trouble and slipped further and further into problems. He would simply tell people that he was living up to what was expected.
Statistically we have the potential to effect atleast 5-10 people who are close to us with the words that we chose. We can edify their lives and speak life into them by speaking about Christ or we can destroy them and tear them down by speaking negatively.
A Christian rock band that was very popular in the 80s had a song that said, "computers brains put garbage in, computers brains put garbage out." This is so true only we get it from movies, books, our peers and most definitely music and video games. If God thought that words were important enough to be called the Word of life, shouldn't we choose to life and speak it into the lives of others? The more that I listen to gospel, praise and other types of Christian music, I chose my music carefully because I want to be more Christ-like so that others will see Him in me. I pray that you will too.

Controling the Tongue

2009-06-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

Usually if we speak without thinking it leads to trouble. The Bible is very clear regarding our tongue. It is referred to as a rudder that can guide us safely or into harms way. When I am tired or have a lot on my mind, I tend to forget and the very essence of my humanity seeps out of my pores like a river. Paul stated that his spirit was willing, but his flesh was weak. It is those very times that I am trying to train myself to be on my guard to not allow my tongue to engage before thinking. But as with many of you, I am a work in progress. I have not come close to mastering this one yet, probably won't until I get to heaven. But, I know that I can improve and so can you all. I come back to one of my favorite scriptures time and again in relation to many issues or situations: Eph 1:18-20 "I pray that your hearts will be flooded with the light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people. I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms."
Remember afterwards, that grace is in place if you are a believer.
- Prov 10:12 "love covers all offenses..."
- I Pet 4:8 "love covers a multitude of sins.."
Love is a wonderful and powerful thing. It is defined as the ultimate expression fo God's loyalty, purity and mercy extended toward his people and it is to be reflected in human relationships of brotherly concern, martial fidelity and adoration of God.

Lesson Learned at Burger King

2009-06-24T18:40:00.001-07:00

Okay,
So here goes. I have been out of work since April 2, 2009, but that is okay because God has been calling me to something more. A few months after that I surrendered to be in full-time ministry. Do I know if that is going to happen now or later..no, but God called and I listened which is a good thing. God desires those who will dillengently seek Him. I can honestly say that my lovely wife and I have not needed anything. God has provided for us everything that we need.
I met my wife and some friends at the hospital today as another of our dear friends got to celebrate the beginning of life as they brought little Riley Thomas into the world. I didn't really get to stay long this time but my friends (the parents) looked exhausted and it was definitely time for them to get some much needed rest. So we stopped at Burger King on the way home and talked with another good friend for some time while we waited for the downtown traffic to decrease. Near the end, I went to buy a medium shake and get my wife a free burger that we had won with a pull off of her soda. Well the manager accidently gave me the shake free instead of the burger. When I mentioned it she said do not worry about it, it is okay. So I have $1 left and I put it in my pocket from the savings. We leave go out into our vehicles (me in our SUV) and my wife and another friend in our car. A man approaches me and asks if I could help him get some dinner at BK. Now, I know that some of you at this point are saying...I don't like to give money out because I don't know where it goes. But, here is something for you...First, we don't actually have any money because it all comes from God and we are only getting a chance to hold what God gives us. This should help those of you who have any angst about that. Second, God calls us to give and not just give, but give joyfully. The widow in the Bible gave one mite, which is not much monatarily, but it is all she had and she gave it without reservation.
Okay, back on track...I told then man that I only had $1 (what had been left over). I gave it to him and he went inside. I drove off thinking God thank you that you continue to bless me and my wife inspite of me being..well me. God's grace is truly awesome. Here is where the real lesson kicked in God spoke to me and said, I have been blessing you and and you have continued to bless others because you gave all you had to someone you did not know. God said in His Word that when we give to the least of them that we are giving as if it was to Him! I may never see that man again, but I did what God wanted me to do and I hope you do the same. Your situation may arise differently because God loves to work differently in each situation, but the important thing is that we are always willing to do and go when He calls!
Until the next lesson, I hope you all have a blessed and wonderful day in the name of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords...Jesus Christ!
Todd