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He is Alive? He is Alive INDEED!

08 Apr

He is Alive? He is Alive INDEED!

Mark 16:4-6   But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away–for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here.

He is Alive? He is Alive Indeed! The women had went to the tomb, only to find Christ gone, and an angel there. They were terrified as the angel told them of His rising from the dead. Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene, and later the two disciples on the road, and they gathered and told of their experiences, but the hearers had much doubt. Luke 24:33-34   So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” The gospels are full of Christ’s appearances after the grave prior to His final ascension. The last words Christ spoke to them was called  The Great Commission found in Matthew28:18-20.  The gospel of Mark summarizes it in Mark 16: 15-16  And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  Then He ascended to sit on the right hand of the throne of God. Luke 24:51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.

So what does it mean to you? It is the culmination of the entire Old and New Testament fulfilling of the scriptures for  God’s plan for the redemption of the human race from sin. It enables you to spend eternity at the feet of God, and not the pit of hell.  Life is a choice of placing your hope in worldly means that will perish; or in eternal things of Christ that mean paradise forever after your time here. Once you begin to humble yourself and repent of your sins asking for forgiveness, you take on a new Spirit that lives inside you that brings a new outlook on life. This ultimate sacrifice enabled the Holy Spirit to live in you as a gift from God. The Spirit is called the Enabler, for He opens the doors for you to understand the scriptures and the things of God. All this came as a result of Christ dying on the cross paying the price for sin, rising from the dead. and ascending into heaven. You can have all He has offered by just asking for the free ticket, for He has already paid it all for you.

He came, He died, He arose, He ascended, He is coming back. Thank you Jesus!

 
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Posted by on April 8, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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The day between

07 Apr

This morning I have been seeking answers on this day between Christ’s death and Resurrection. The shock of His death has left those followers in disbelief and great sorrow. They are in wonder of what is next. They are even about to return to their old jobs and go back to life as they knew it before Christ. They feel like life is over. The hours and days following death are traumatic

The day between

Mark 15:42-43 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,  Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

They day between death and Resurrection. Christ is in the grave. Joseph of Arimathea had gotten the nerve to go before Pilate and ask for the body of Christ. Courage is doing what you must do even when you fear the consequences. Joseph was held in high regard, but may have feared what could have been said or done by him placing honor on the dead Christ. Matthew Henry spoke of him saying, “Those who wait for the kingdom of God, and hope for an interest in the privileges of it, must show it by their forwardness to own Christ’s cause and interest, even then when it seems to be crushed and run down.” Joseph put his great faith before anything man could do to him and honored God. This even as all Christ’s disciples had abandoned him over the last hours of His life. God raised up Joseph to honor His Son.

1 John 2:12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. Most of us have lost someone close, and in those first hours and days questions fill our minds of the why’s and where they are now that they have left their earthly body. Most all of Christ’s followers were in disbelief of the events that had taken place and were in great sorrow. They were gathering together and trying to understand the events. Questions filled their minds. When we loose someone now to death, Christ has brought us the possibility of the understanding the answers to many of these questions. This price He paid on the Cross for our sin, gives us the assurance of passing into heaven with Him, and can remove much of the sorrow and doubt we feel if those we loose are Saved. Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Rest in the assurance of the promise of this day between.

 
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Posted by on April 7, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Snatched from the fire

06 Apr

This morning I have been spending time in the four gospels reading the accounts of the last days of Christ. Each author telling his story of betrayal, trials, and Crucifixion. It stirs my soul and I cannot grasp the selflessness of Christ, and the understanding of His fathers Will, even to the point of asking if there was any other way. The weight of what He bore for us is impossible for us to understand for even the heavens were blackened for hours. The weight of sin bore down on one Man for eternity….wow. I could not help but feel led to gratitude for what He did for me. How can we not do all we can for Him, when we realize what He did for us? My hope is that you respond to the weight you may feel this Easter in the realization of the events. That the stirring inside you provokes a response and movement towards a change in your relationship with your Savior. May you respond to that gut feeling inside you as never before, for it is never too late, until it is.

 

Snatched from the fire

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Over 2000 years ago today represented a mark in history that forever changed eternity like none other. The mark in which lives are given the ability to pass into eternal paradise, or hell if they choose to deny Christ. Before the day of the ultimate sacrifice we all would have died in sin. Today Christ has paid the price for all of us that we cannot pay through any good deed and earn our way into heaven. Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Today we should be draw to rejoice and humble, grateful thanksgiving for what was given for us.

If you were asleep with your home on fire, and someone rescued you from sure death, you would naturally forever feel gratitude and obligation to them for giving you life. You have been asleep in sin, and Christ rescued you from your sin, providing you a path from eternal fire. Isn’t it natural once you realize that to feel obligated to Him? 1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. The realization of what Easter brings is humbling and should draw out from you a spirit of gratitude of what Christ did even for those who hated Him. I cannot fathom sacrificing my sons for anybody, much less to a world that hated me. That is a depth of love from a God of love that should stir your soul. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Let the weight of what Easter represents press on you, and let the Spirit stir you to begin His work in you for living your life as a sacrifice to Christ, whom paid the ultimate sacrifice for you. Thank you Jesus.

 
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Posted by on April 6, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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War & Peace

01 Apr

As you can probably discern, this has been a rough week. I hope she will not kill me, but I must let you know that we are facing the battle many of you are facing. Dana lost her job this week and all the stability that comes with it after 16 years. This comes as a prequel to me entering seminary in a few weeks, and slowing down my business of 20yrs to focus my life on God. Now I am the sole provider for my family. But we are understanding that God is in the details and He has well laid out plans for all of this. We will survive as a family, strengthen our faith, and watch Him work. I am still committed to seminary, and we are committed as a family to Christ. Satan fired the darts, but our shield of faith can withstand the attack.

 

 

War & Peace

Philippians 1:28-29 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

This morning I was returning to Philippians and spending time reading about suffering. I won’t go into all the details, but the pressures and strains of life have greatly increased on me this week. Well laid out plans have been thrown into the fire, what matters most has become questioned, and the provisions have been removed. A great weight has been placed on my shoulders, almost impossible to mentally bear, and without Christ and my daily time with him, I believe the stress of it could physically break me. I am truly suffering for my dedication to Christ, but it is with “joy” as in James, and humble honor to not let my adversary see my terror, but to rest in the Lord. The terror will push us to withdraw to worldly comforts, and not the peace that comes from Christ indwelling in us.

I returned to the gospel of John for comfort. John 14:26-27 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. I have said many times I can describe my “religion” in one word – Peace. My peace has been attacked this week in a large assault, but I will not retreat, I will stand and war within. Ephesians 6:11-13 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. When you know that you are headed down the path of your life following God’s Will for your life, Satan will do the best he can to blast you off God’s highway. You must pick up the armament of prayer, His Word, and faith to continue down the righteous pathway to eternal paradise. With the eternal security of Salvation, you can rest in that peace that Christ has given you that He resides in you, and the armies of Hell cannot darken where His Light lies.

 
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Posted by on April 1, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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When one opens, it also closes

29 Mar

When one opens, it also closes

Acts 6:14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

We are creature’s of habit that resist change. We rest in our ways feeling through ourselves we can accomplish the goals set before us. Stephen had been chosen as one of the first deacons by Christ’s apostles to aid in the duties of the growing church spreading the Gospel of Christ. His diligence and great faith stirred up those who were against the change of which he was speaking. They felt if they followed the law of Moses, they could attain heaven through the power of themselves and their ability to follow the law. But they did not understand the law was there to point them to Christ whom had already come, and now provided the way to heaven through the grace of God. This caused them to blasphemy and plot, and ultimately kill Stephen.

Matthew 18:11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. Those words reflect the biggest change presented to us, that will affect us for an eternity. In the eternal lostness that you reside in your pride without Christ, your resist to change will haunt you to no end. We all have heard of “When one door closes, another door opens.”  What if that door was the door to your soul and only you have the key to accept change by opening the door to follow Christ? When you open that door to your heart, you close the door of hell forever behind you. No change in life has the impact of Salvation, and no change in life that you make to feel you have earned your way there opens that door. You have the key, but Christ is the lock that opens and shuts it behind you. John 14:6 “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” Humble yourself, repent your sins, and accept He has the ability to change you like you have never experienced before, before it is too late to have the option.

 
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Posted by on March 29, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Awe

25 Mar

Awe

Psalm 33:Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

Much of what I have been listening to this week seems to have centered upon the reverent fear and holiness of God, and much about how it has been lost in today’s society and church. We want to claim the friendship of Jesus, but somewhere in that has the respect for Him lost? It gains much to pursue that relationship, but it must also be one that instills a holy fear and reverent awe of the Creator of the universe. He said in Exodus 3:14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”; making a claim none other can utter, and one of the most powerful writings in the bible. That statement alone should point us to reverent holy fear of our Lord.

An understanding comes with that realization of who God is, and the byproduct should be  humility. How can we not become humble before Him? James 4:6-8 “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” When we approach God with that respect and holy fear that He deserves, He rewards it with understanding. Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. When we begin to strive to keep Him elevated, and not prayer for open parking lot spots, He rewards us with a deeper understanding of His ways and His word. The Holy Spirit begins to reveal more, and the reverence grows as a result. The pathway to greater understanding and depth of your Christian walk is a direct result of your viewpoint of God. Humble yourself and give thanks for the One whom all blessings flow, for our time here, and the possibility of eternity with Him.

 
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Posted by on March 25, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Most Wanted poster?

24 Mar

Wow……It is so hard to just start reading the book of Acts and not get drawn into the story and loose track of time. The book of Acts alone could easily be a best seller, or even a movie on it’s own. Any readers out there can appreciate the story and how it grabs you. I just couldn’t help but wonder, what would the angels of hell say about me? It is a piercing question when I think of all the known and unknown sin in 44yrs. They have had their highlights, but I also rest in the assurance of Salvation now, and the Light that lives in me, that dis-spells all that darkness. His light that can live within you can and will cover all your regrets past, present, and future. All you must do is humble yourself, repent, and accept Christ into your heart for eternal forgiveness. I pray that you too will draw near to God, and the angels of hell know they lost you for eternity.

 

 

 

Most wanted poster?

Acts 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

Paul was in Ephesus on his second missionary journey and he had baptized about 12 men as disciples of Christ to aid him in spreading the Good News. Ephesus was a city filled with those who practiced magic, and many even using the name of Christ in doing so. They were held in high esteem, most likely wealthy, but committing great sins against God. I encourage you to read chapter 19 for the benefit of the entire story. God was performing miracles through Paul in unusual ways and reaching those who were lost through them. This event in verse 15 led to a great repentance, an expensive burning of magic books, and even a riot that followed afterwards. But in all of this God was glorified.

There is so much in this passage, especially a direct warning from God on using His name in evil works. But do you get the question too? Do you pretend to walk as a Christian, yet continue in sin even tarnishing the Name you claim? We all sin every day, we all need forgiveness every day, we all fail, but we all can strive to live more Christ like and glorify Him in all we do. Matthew Henry said, “This was written for a warning to all who name the name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity.” These warnings are direct for great sins committed here. But don’t we desire to be so close to Christ that the angels of hell know our name too? You must draw near to Him, seek Him daily, pursue the teachings and revelations of Him in the Word, and maybe, just maybe you will have a Most Wanted poster at the gates of hell with your name on it. James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Strive to make today a better day, living more like Christ than the day before.

 
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Posted by on March 24, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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The deaf rebel

18 Mar

The deaf rebel

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

This morning I was thinking about writing about the time spent early every day seeking God. Of how I believe God honors that time by speaking to us when we honor Him by doing so. Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. When we set a time every day to place honor to Him, what do we place before Him that takes away from that appointment? There is not a right or wrong time, just a set time I believe. That lets God know you are serious about your relationship with Him. As a result of this study, it took a somewhat different turn in Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs is written by Solomon, the wisest man to ever live. A man who sought God and counsel to gain understanding of the things of God. I encourage you to read this chapter, for it speaks plainly of the draws of the world that tug us away from God, and the results of it. It is written as a father who speaks to their rebellious child, and the enticements of sin that draw that child away. Of how God is the voice of reason, rebuking that sin, desiring to protect us from our calamity that lies before us. I lived this life for many years, “the rebel without a cause”, and I know the destruction that came as a result of it. My plea to you is to heed the warnings, listen to His voice, and rest in His security. Proverbs 1:33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

 
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Posted by on March 18, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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A Field of Treasure

17 Mar

A Field of Treasure

Matthew 13:44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Have I got a real estate deal for you! In this field lies a hidden treasure, but will you trust me on this by just looking at the field, or purchase it and dig into the great opportunity? Will you lay aside everything for this opportunity that promises an eternal return? If you grasp what treasure lies beneath the surface, the choice is easy,  and you speedily move to grasp what you have found. In this parable Christ is the Treasure, and the gospel or Good News that is found in the Word is the field. You simply unearth the hidden treasure by digging into God’s Word and finding Christ throughout the Old and New Testaments. You are missing an eternal treasure by letting the field lie dormant, or just scratching the surface, instead of digging deep to find the treasure.

You can’t judge a book by it’s cover, and you can’t find the treasure without digging in the field. Once you begin to unearth that Treasure, you hide it in your heart and begin to realize the value of what you possess. The value of your life hidden in Christ is immeasurable and many other things you once cherished seem to have little value. Philippians 3:7-8 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Once you begin to realize what you possess in a book like non-other, you will begin to gain a great return on your investment that is the only secure investment available today. Pray for God to reveal Himself to you, open your bible and unearth your hidden treasure.

 
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Posted by on March 17, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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What is the meaning of Life to you?

12 Mar

What is the meaning of Life to you?

Ecclesiastes 1:2   “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes was written by the wisest man who ever lived, Solomon. In this book he even gathered wise counsel to gain increased understanding of the meaning of life, the question that dwells inside us all, believers or not. In verse 3:11 we learn that “He put eternity into our hearts.” God placed that need that dwells from deep within to draw us to Him. We search and search for happiness, success, and meaning to fulfill that desire, yet when they are attained without, they still seem lacking. Until that void is filled, true happiness will never be attainable, but always just out of our reach however we pursue the thing. Verse 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Vanity in this book means a “breath” or “vapor” which speaks of life as quickly passing away. It is found 38 times in this book, and is a key point to understanding Ecclesiastes. Once we learn how to possess that hope for eternity with God, our short time here can truly be enjoyed for we realize our security in eternal paradise. The trials of every day life in our personal and work environments will not carry the weight they once did before our understanding of this temporal life. That release of our lives to God, releases the burden we now carry trying to satisfy that question of the meaning of life. He has and He IS, the answer. John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

 
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Posted by on March 12, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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