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In need of that second touch?

Mark 8:18

Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

I can’t figure Christians out. Even being one and knowing that I am seconds away from backsliding any day, I still don’t get it. A preacher preaches his heart out, pours himself out before the congregation of the Lord, there are shouts of acclamation and glories to God with hands being raised and then they walk out of the church and back into the world and they have faith amnesia. Somewhere between the a.m. and p.m. service they’ve forgotten what Jesus did, and something else takes priority in their minds. Yep, I needed to vent.

I don’t know why I am so surprised, the disciples were no different and they were face to face with the miracles of God. Christ had twice in their presence fed thousands with a few fish and a few loaves of bread, and yet just afterwards on a journey across the sea they’re worried about lunch. Christ ask them “Do ye not remember?” They had just seen him feed thousands with a little bit of nothing, what would it have been for him to take care of a few men in a boat! Let me put it on a more personal level, what about you? Do you remember what He’s brought you through? What do you now stand in need of that Christ cannot supply? There are days I too forget when I get in the midst of a struggle, but God is so faithful to bring me through in ways I’d never imagine.

Christ asked in verse 19-21 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?”

Why do we not understand? In this same chapter Jesus heals the blind man by twice touching his eyes. Verses 23-25 read:

 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.  And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

You may be asking, why did it take God Himself touching him the second time before he was completely healed? And I lay to your charge the question “Why after God touched you do you not believe? Why do you fail to serve Him as you should? I asked myself the same question and I didn’t like the answer. A lack of faith, a heart not exactly right (which is wrong). In that same chapter Christ asks His disciples whom say ye that I am?”

The world says all kinds of crazy things on who Christ is, but if you’re saved you know! Do you not remember? I pray today God brings to remembrance the miracles He’s done in your life and that your faith will be stirred and renewed. That you once again will receive another touch from Christ that will allow you to see clearly what’s going on around you and the need to get busy telling others what Jesus means to you that too may be touched. STIR US UP LORD!

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Meat & Potato Faith!

Psalm 119:131-134 ~ I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.

I look back on my life and so much of it has been wasted under the oppression of man. I would let others define my day, be it good or bad. If my work pleased my master’s (note the small “m”) then it was great day, if it didn’t I would fret over it for days. I would rehash again and again what I could have done differently. As I’ve grown in the Lord I’ve changed. I won’t tell you I don’t have moments of relapse, but they’re temporary. I strive to live for Christ, and if man gets pleased along the way then that makes for an awesome day. But if I do all I can do in my ministry or in my secular career that has to be enough. And life is too short to waste it eating hash.

Hash is a meat and potatoes dish that I love, and these verses in Psalm 119 remind me of the “meat and potatoes” of Christian faith.

Longing for God’s Word

If you do not have a desire in your heart to read the Word of God, you are already defeated. Mark it down this day… you lose. Because as one who’s been there I know, I have a whole closet full of those shirts! You have got to make time in your day for the Word of God because in it is the wellspring of life! Proverbs 16:22 says it ~ Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.

To understand that the Bible is a living document is key. I can guarantee, because my God is faithful, that if you open the Bible up and begin reading anywhere in it there is a word for your day. It’s shocking sometimes how spot on the Bible will be in my life, and yet it shouldn’t be. If I believe what I say, then why would it shock me? So… Do you have that longing in your heart? I have no doubt that you do, you may have mashed it down beneath the load of care you’re choosing to haul around by yourself today, but it’s in there.

Looking in God’s Word

David said that he wanted God to order his steps. He said earlier in Psalm 37:23 that “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” David knew that the only way to find happiness and contentment in life was to follow the path that God had designed. It’s not always obvious, but there are always clues. You may be asking “So what does that mean when you live and work in a world that is not God conscious?”

Just because those around you don’t acknowledge God in the equation doesn’t remove Him. It just means that they don’t get to enjoy the favor of God. If you go to work looking for God, He’ll be there. It may be in a small way, or it may be huge! It begins with you going to work to please God, not those you work for, although they’ll be pleased in the process. I’ve been blown away lately by the way God has been working with me on my job. My thoughts are clearer, my direction more defined both spiritually and mentally because I spend my day seeking Him in whatever I’m doing. I know that if I seek to please Him, I will do my job in a manner that will please my employer. And if I fall short (as I often do) God’s mercy has me covered!

Leaving behind the false word

David said he wanted God to “Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.” If you are trying to live a God focused life, it’s almost a given that Satan will send someone to blindside you. David knew that it would not be easy to keep the principles of God because he’d fallen so many times before. The oppression of man is the coercion of others to get off track.

They can do this in a number of ways:

DISCOURAGMENT:  how many times have we heard “that won’t work.

DOUBT: How many times have we heard “are you sure you want to do that?”

DOOM: “No matter how you do it, it still ends up bad”

LEAVE THEM BEHIND!

Focus on God’s Word, it’s guaranteed truth!

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Hold on!

Revelation 2:25- But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

The Word of the Lord as John wrote to the church of Thyatira, and what great words they are! “Hold fast till I come.” John had just given them the good news/bad news report from the Lord. In verse 19-20 he wrote “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

I found it interesting that he mentions “work” twice, and in the next verse He said that His “servants” had been seduced. Obviously this was a church with a servant’s heart, but they’d got seriously off track in doctrine at some point.  But not all! Therein lies the good news.

24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

The modern day church as a whole does not have a good name. There’s so much infighting, false doctrine and Jezebel’s of the church that the Name of the Lord is tarnished like a piece of neglected silver. But in this church like all others there was remnant who had held true to the Holiness of God and to them the Lord says “Hold fast till I come.”

I repeat those words this morning to you who are reading because I know how hard it is to stay faithful in this fallen world; but if ever there is a time to hold fast it’s now. Our family and friends need to see that Jesus is the same today as He was then. There’s still a few crucial things that you can to hold onto in the church until He comes.

The Word of God – The book of Revelation for many years was seldom preached in the church because it made little sense to those who read it. The metaphors were wild to even imagine, but now… they read like yesterday’s news. For John to have seen the visions of our day in his day, what must it have looked like? To see visions of our war machines! They look like monsters to me. But hold on till the end of the book!

The Wisdom of God – As a child of God our wisdom comes from Him. It’s so easy to get frustrated with the condition of the world and want to through in the towel at the Jezebel’s and just walk away, but hold on! It only looks like they’re winning. Have you read the end of the book? No war fought on this earth is as destructive as the one we fight. When I think of Jezebel I think of the harlot whose goal is to steal the lover of another, and that is exactly what Satan desires to do. He is the happiest when he can lure someone away from the church with the filth of the world and corrupt their minds into thinking that it’s the “new normal.” Hello can I can a witness on that one?! And if you caught my reference to the show on television that’s not new, it’s as old as time. But God is faithful to give us wisdom for this battle, just ask for it!

Another thing you can hold on to is the Ways of God. Don’t buy the lie of the world that we have to accept the standards of the day and drag the world into the church. So many churches have watered down the gospel to the point Christ’s sacrifice is unrecognizable. They’ve taken the “Thou shalt not’s out” and replaced them with “That’s not for us.” Satan has lulled many into believing that God’s ways changed with the times. They didn’t. Hold on to it!  God’s way is true and faithful.

If you’re struggling to stay in service, if Satan has buffeted you with people and things to get your eyes off Christ Hold on!!! Jesus is coming soon! If ever there is a time to let our friends and family see that we have something to hold on to, it’s now.

 

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To save a nation…

There are times that I read the Old Testament and it’s more than my stomach can handle. As someone who has never been able to watch scary or gory movies without the image getting seared in my mind, the Bible stories are sometimes almost as vivid. And then there are other days that although I wouldn’t have the stomach for it, I get so fed up with the wickedness of this world that I can totally understand how God could wipe out half a nation.

We find one such case of God’s wrath in the book of Numbers. In the first verse it is said that “Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.” (vs. 1) They had begun to sacrifice and bow down to their gods, at which time God gives Moses the command to “Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.(vs. 4). I think God is pretty serious about sin to say the least, but there was a hero in the story that stopped God’s wrath by the name of Phinehas.

One of the children of Israel had brought into the congregation of the Lord a Midianite woman while the children of Israel were weeping at the door of the tabernacle because of the state of affairs. God had just laid the charge to slay those who had sinned in this manner against God, and this guy brings a woman into the congregation of the Lord. When Phinehas sees what happened scripture says “And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. (Vss. 7-8)

That act alone stopped the wrath of God.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: (Vss. 10-12)

I’m not suggesting anyone go to this extreme, but oh that men would be so zealous as to stand up in the congregations of the Lord and say “Enough!” The church in so many ways has linked arms with the world, there is no longer a separation or a holiness. Sin is overlooked and embraced dependent upon “who” it is. Praise God we are now under grace, God no longer calls upon the destruction of a nation He doesn’t have too, we’re destroying ourselves.

This is a somber thought for Monday morning, but I just feel that I needed to remind myself as I go out into the world today that God expects more of me. Just because the world says it is okay does not make it so. I am a child of God, set aside for His purpose saved by His grace. If the Israelite and the Moabitish woman were cast before me today, I’m called to give them grace, not judgment. I want those I meet today to see the love and grace of almighty God in me, but I also want to remember the zealousness of Phinehas who called sin out and saved his people. I have to begin by examining my own life… The other children of Israel were weeping at the door of the church, but Phinehas zealously acted on it and saved his nation.

What can we do… stop “playing” church. Live it!

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Sunday Morning Shipwrecks and Warfare

I Timothy 1:18-20 – This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Speak of warfare and Korea will likely top the headlines or another warring country, but the greatest war of all is being battled on our own soil, regardless of where you are as you read this. When I Googled warfare a video clip came up of an actual military maneuver where the U.S. military were following a vehicle hauling weaponry. Their video cam zoomed in close enough to make out what they were carrying and 8-10 people on the ground, they discussed it a little while longer, received permission to deploy missiles and two seconds later those 8-10 people were in eternity and everything around them was dust.

I can assure you that Satan doesn’t call headquarters to get permission to deploy his weaponry on you this morning, we often provide our own. Wow… that was a sobering thought.

Timothy was about to go full time into the ministry, and the Apostle Paul lays a charge to him along with some heartache and sorrow from previous experience. He warns Timothy that he’s about to go to battle and his weaponry will be faith and good conscience which Paul previous ministry partners shipwrecked by walking away from the church and denying God.

My heart breaks at the friends of faith who have walked out on God. I’m not saying they blasphemed, but they at the least broke God’s heart. Satan’s missiles of choice are human. Sometimes self-inflicted wounds and other times by the words and actions of others. Usually a little of both. Because if truly we are holding onto faith we’ll let no man come between us and our Lord.

Please do not say to me that you can be as good a Christian outside of the church as I can in the church, because you have now put Satan between us, and I’d rather be looking at you this morning. It’s a lie out of the pits of Hell that you can lay out of church and not have it affect you spiritually. Little by little your faith will suffer.

What about those who cannot physically get to church you ask? First of all, ask them where they’d rather be. I believe that God takes care of us in every season of life, and there may be a season in any of our lives where we cannot attend church. But if you’re healthy and have means to attend God says in Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

As time quickly passes by, we do not know the hour or day of Christ’s return. This certainly is not the time to give credence to Satan by allowing our friends and family to see us dishonoring God by being out of service.

God loves you, and I love you! I hope today finds you in the house of the Lord and celebrating your faith with good conscience. Don’t let anything or anyone keep you away from the house of the Lord. Christ died for everyone in it, there’s not a one of them perfect. I’m at the top of the list of imperfections…

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All my oars in the water….

Luke 16:1~ And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

A modern day version of the unjust steward. An executive is called into the bosses office and accused of misappropriating funds, he’s been skimming money from the boss. He’s given the opportunity to defend himself, but is obviously guilty for he does not protest the accusation, but begins to ponder unemployment. “I cannot dig” he’s an executive, that’s a laborer’s job. He cannot beg in an Armani suit for cryin’ out loud! So what’s a fellow to do?

He goes to people who owe the company money, and what would have normally been his profit or commission from collecting their sales, he knocks that off the top in order to get them to pay and to gain favor from them so that in his hour of need they’ll help him out, (he’s about to be fired!) perhaps offer him a job, or at least a place to stay when he loses his house. He obviously did not take more profit from his boss when he took money off what the people had owed, because in verse 8 it says “And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” His lord would not have commended him if he had cost him more money. So obviously the money lost was that of the unjust steward.

A strange lesson, but a valuable one to the church on stewardship.

God has given us a wealth of resources in the church. Every soul that commits to Christ has a gift to offer for service. Every soul! No one is excluded. But we’re wasting it… myself included.

I’ve been struggling lately to keep all my oars moving the same direction. Sometimes I find myself out in the middle of the lake of life going around in circles because one of my oars isn’t moving at all! I am assuming you understand the boat analogy. If you only paddle on one side of your boat, your boat begins to turn. I remember that from my days of john boat riding on the Elk River in Braxton, WV. The same theory holds true if your life is out of balance and we’re not making the most of our resources.

It pricked my heart when I re ad that the “children of the world are wiser than the children of light?” Shrewd business people know how to make the most of their resources. They use everything and everyone they have at their disposal to make a profit and further their goal. Why shouldn’t we? God has given me everything I need and then some to live a balanced and successful life. He placed people in my path to help me, and I’ve failed to. He’s given me talents and tools, and yet I don’t use them for fear of failure. If I was truly trusting in God for everything in my life I’d use everything I have without hesitation knowing that He intended it for my good and His glory. We tend to separate our lives into home/career/church, when in reality it’s our life. Do they not all belong to God?

Jesus told His parents at the age of 12 when they had misplaced Him on their journey Luke 2:49 I must be about my Father’s business.” He knew then that there was a great work to do, and He knew it was going to get done.

The parable of the unjust steward ends with a stern warning from Christ in verse 11-13 ~ If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches.  And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Nothing we have on this earth belongs to us. To separate any part of our life is saying that part of it belongs to God, and the other to us. That’s not balance! Balance required equality and the only way we can be equal is to be in Him. The steward learned to give God His share, and share any excess with those he served, counting on his Lord to take care of him. Such a great story! I could learn…

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The Rescue Mission!

A trip to Marshall County, West Virginia turned into quite the journey for me yesterday. Following the advice of Google map for a “quicker” trip we went off the beaten path and then Glory! We were in God’s country for sure with the elevation alone.  Mile upon mile of one lane farm road along scenic river beds to the top of the mountains made for awesome views and a two hour delay in getting to our destination.  At one point I glanced over toward my coworker’s iPad and realized that the little blue dot that locates our vehicle on the satellite was in the middle of nowhere! No roads, no directional advice, just tan space surrounding the little blue blip.

I’ve had that same feeling spiritually…

I knew the intended destination God had me on. I’d prayed about it, had peace about and knew that I was going that way, but in the midst of the journey I would find myself alone, Christ nowhere to be found and struggling with doubt  that I had heeded the Word of God at all. Been there? It’s an uneasy feeling. My main concern yesterday was not if we were going to the right place; my job required me to do a site visit to Cameron Middle High School. My concern was that “Thelma and Louise” (my coworker and I) had resources enough (aka gas) to get me out of the tan space and back onto the directional blue line that took us to Cameron.

Long before GPS and satellite the disciples found themselves in much the same predicament. Mark 6:45 said “And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.

Jesus had given the disciples clear direction, “You’re going to the other side.” But along the way they found themselves in the middle of the sea, in the darkness of night with this queasy feeling in the pit of their stomach, “Somethin’ ain’t right.” A storm had come up and the wind was contrary to them, and then out of nowhere they see Jesus walking on the water. But they don’t know it’s Jesus! And then in verse 50 they hear the voice of the Savior “Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

There were reasons

It doesn’t say that Jesus told the disciples why they were going to Bethsaida. He said go, and obedient servants that they were they got in the boat and went. Being in the will of God doesn’t mean there won’t be trouble. Just ask Jesus, they crucified Him. The disciples were following God’s plan, but here they were in the middle of the sea, in the darkness of a storm. Some of the stormiest times of my life have been when God was doing the most. Don’t assume because the “winds of life are contrary” that you’re not in the will of God.

There were reactions.

51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

Out of nowhere Jesus had come, climbs into the boat, calms the storm and their reaction was shock! The God of Heaven, the Creator of the Universe just walked on water, calmed the storm, climbs into the boat and says (in my words) “chill out guys, it’s Me.” Can you hear the “woah Dude…” When God does something extreme in your life our reaction is sometimes not exuberance and joy, it “eek! And Jiminy Cricket!!!!” We’re just amazed that it happens.

There was a rescue

God had a plan. As close as the disciples were to the Lord, that still didn’t let them in on it. Sometimes we’re just not going to have that insight. It’s not until they get to the other side that they see the plan unfold. Vs. 56 ~ “And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

The plan… the rescue of souls. Is that not what this journey is about?

We went to Cameron yesterday to work on a project in that community that is getting their people healthy. It’s fun and they’re excited. So am I! But not nearly as excited about Cameron as I am about the journey that Christ has me on here. A journey to rescue souls – – now that’s an exciting trip. Will you join me?

 

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Enjoying the Anointing

I think on the anointing of God a lot. Primarily because it scares me. I know and understand that with an anointing of God comes great responsibility, so there are some days that I would like to take it off, like a pretty robe. It’s very nice in the cool of the day, but when it gets hot, it doesn’t feel pretty any more, it’s cumbersome.  When times get rough in my life and ministry (they’re actually one in the same) I know that I’m being scrutinized. There are those who would like to be there if I fall, and there are those that wait to see if I fall so they’ll be there to help me back up… I know who they are too. But today I want to talk to you about the anointing of God and why it’s not something that you can remove.

If you’re a child of God, you’re anointed.

Scared?

I John 2:27 says “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

Anointing is Enabled

If you’re saved you’ve been anointed by the Holy Spirit and God has put within you a desire to do His work. You can choose not to do it, but you cannot rid yourself of it. Scripture said “ye need not than any man teach you.” Nobody told me that I was anointed to write and speak. From a small child that desire was in me, but after I accepted Christ it became enabled and directional by the Holy Spirit.  The ability was always there, but the purpose was not fulfilled until I had given myself to Christ.

Anointing is Evident

I feel somewhat vain speaking of “my anointing” , because I am by no means worthy of anything that the Lord does with me, but I only know mine to speak of. I’ve felt the anointing of a preacher as he preached the Word of God, or of a singer whose song ministered to my soul, but I can only tell you of mine for certain. When God began to strategically place people and purpose in my life His designs became evident. Nothing “just” happens after all. It became not only evident to me, but more so to people who knew me and would encourage me. As a matter of fact, fear continually plagued my decision making process and were it not for those encouragers, I’d have likely not continued.

Anointing has an Enemy

Not only will the people in your life see evidence of your anointing, so will Satan. He’ll use multitudes of methods to discourage you from fulfilling God’s design. But… fear not; so long as you continue on the paths God directs God will win victory over Satan’s schemes.

Anointing is Effective

The anointing of God is not to be taken lightly. You need to search your soul for God’s intended design in your life, and once it’s discovered you’ll be effective in that ministry. God will open doors and opportunities that you could have never imagined, I know…He has blessed me again and again, and I stand in awe. He desires the same for you!

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Maundy Thursday… let’s do it!

Maundy Thursday; it’s not a tradition that our church acknowledges in service. It’s not even one that I hear mentioned too much in our neck of the woods. But through today’s Christian news events, it appears that multiple churches do hold Maundy Thursday events. The word “maundy” comes from a Latin word: mandatum. And mandatum means “mandate” or a “commandment”.  On the eve before Christ’s crucifixion, Christ gave a new mandate to His followers as they gathered in for the last supper. My heart breaks when I think back about the “last suppers” I’ve had with a few friends. If I had known that it was going to be my “last supper” with them I’d have hung on their every word, but I didn’t know.

The wonderful thing about the Word of God, is that we do have the Words that Christ spoke during this special time with His friends. His heart was heavy, He’d been betrayed and yet in the midst of that horrific time for Him He gathered those who He had grown so close to and gave them a new mandate, or a new commandment as it were.

John 13:34

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Judas had left the building. It was now just Jesus and His faithful friends. Not perfect by any means, after all they too would leave Him when the going got rough the next day. But this day He needed them to understand what would be key to the mission He was leaving them to; that they love one another. He did not give them a long dissertation or a bullet point list of things they needed to check off to make sure the church as run correctly… as does the church of today. He said, “just love people.” If we did that, our churches would run correctly.

If we didn’t look on the outward appearance of man, if we didn’t look at their past sins “again”, if we just loved them, our services would be much different. Because in loving one another, all the Spirit squelching things would not be there and a service like “Maundy Thursday” would have the saints of God shoutin’ in the isles and glorifying God, not looking down the isle, and judging men.

Love one another. What an awesome idea. Let’s do it!

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Things that Endure

This is the week that changed the world. Indeed, I feel that our church has accomplished something with this project. There is a pitter-patter of excitement in my heart this morning as I think about our Church Easter Cantata this past Sunday. Watching the drama act out portions of the  events leading to the crucifixion… hearing the cries of the drama team as Jesus and the Roman soldiers made their way up the isle of the church… hearing the thud… thud…  thud… of the hammer hitting the nails; and then trying to sing afterwards with tears streaming down my face. And then… that moment that changed the world! Oh glory!!!

We began singing slowly “Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior…” and then gradually the music crescendos, the tempo increases and then with a “ca-pow ca-chow” (in the words of my grandsons) in the music, a light comes on in the tomb and Jesus steps forth and a flood of emotion rushes through my veins. If this group of amateur drama team members can make my heart stop like that, just imagine what it must have been like on that day!

The words of the psalmist soothe my soul this morning…   “But the Lord shall endure for ever” – Psalm 9:7a.

In the minutes before that “ca-pow ca-chow” moment in reality, I would say the sneer on Satan’s face would have turned your stomach over. But forever means just that… It wasn’t over. Our Lord endures forever. And a few things more because of Him…

His goodness – regardless of circumstance.

Psalm 52:1 – Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.

His Name – regardless of how many times the world tries to silence it.

Psalm 72:17 – His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

His seed – The children of Israel and we who have been grafted in by the blood shed that day on Calvary! That’s us!

Psalm 89:29 – His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

And His mercy!!! O how we need that…

Psalm 100:5 – For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Just a few of the many things that will endure because of that week that changed the world! I hope you know my Lord today! If you don’t… it’s time you do, because you too will endure forever in Heaven, or in Hell. Don’t delay.

1.      Admit you have sinned – we all have.

  • Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

2.       Understand that sin has a debt that must be paid, and believe that Christ paid it for you.

  • Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord

3.       Confess, meaning to openly and unashamedly agree that the Christ died for you, so that you could endure through hard times and have eternal life with Him.

  • Romans 10:9-10 – That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

If you made a decision today to trust Christ as your Savior, please comment below or private message me at talk2shari@gmail.com! I’d love to encourage you in your journey.