Do you?

 

Do you really believe that Jesus is alive today?

"We don't believe something by merely saying we believe it, or even when we believe that we believe it. We believe something when we act as if it were true." 

Dallas Willard

 

 

Worth the Wait

"The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment."  Luke 23:55-56

 

 

One of the most difficult aspects of life is waiting. Waiting for someone to leave or waiting on someone to show up. Waiting in line at the store. Waiting for a file to download. Waiting for a call. Waiting for the diagnosis. We are, as a people, generally impatient. We do not like waiting. Actually, we mostly hate it, because we want things instantly. I tell my children that patience is a virtue, yet they do not see me demonstrating it as often as I would like. (OK, hardly at all, but I will keep reminding them of the truth.)

In the same way, one of the most difficult aspects of the Christian life is waiting on God. We expect instant results in our spiritual lives. We pray, "Lord, give me patience and give it to me now." We desire our sanctification quickly. We read His promises and expect instant fulfillment. We sense a word of direction from Him and jump ahead before receiving the wisdom for the next step. We just want the pain to go away, or we just want the problem to be fixed, or we just want to do things our way. Whatever the situation, often in our impetuousness, we miss out on all He wants to do in and through us during the waiting time.

 

A few years ago, when I read these verses noted above, I actually had the thought that if it had been me, I would not have waited for the Sabbath to be over. I thought that in my zeal for the One I loved, I would have just gone to anoint the body anyway. "Forget the Sabbath. Jesus has just been buried. We need to go anoint Him." Then the Lord quiety reminded me that if it had been me, and if I had done that, then I would have missed the resurrection. Missed it!  On Saturday (the Sabbath), His physical body would have still been in the tomb, and I would have missed God's perfect timing!

 

But, not these women.They waited.They waited through the darkness.They waited through the confusion.They waited through the sorrow and the fear and the doubt. It says that they rested. Then on Sunday morning, when the time God had allotted for waiting was over, they were the first to witness an empty tomb. And, they were never the same.

 

I have had to wait on the Lord through a very difficult time before. I cannot say that I enjoyed the process, but I can now say that I am thankful for how God worked in my life during the waiting time. He taught me things I could have never learned in an instant world. I know now that I do not ever want to miss out on what He has for me, even if I must wait for it. Be encouraged today dear friend if you are in your waiting time. Rest in faith. While you are waiting, God is working, and the result may just be that you see His glory and are never the same.

 

 

The Only One Who Could

Jesus was not the only man to ever be crucified.......

 

 

but He is the only God who has been.

 

 

The other gods were strong; but Thou wast weak;
They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds only God's wounds can speak,
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.

(Taken from Edward Shillito's "Jesus of the Scars")

 

 

 "And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day, every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again, he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool, because by one sacrifice, He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Hebrews 10:10-14

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

From the beginning of history, God was showing living photographs to prepare mankind for His Son to be revealed. These various images were no coincidences and no accidents. Called “foreshadows” (things that would show something in advance), God used them to demonstrate the purpose of His Messiah, the Anointed Savior.

The Passover feast is no different. Implemented while the children of Israel were in bondage in Egypt, the Lord gave Moses specific instructions the people were to follow before their great rescue and exodus. You know the story. The last and worst plague upon Egypt - the death of the firstborn was coming. But God provided a way to protect His people. Just as many years before, when asked to offer his only Isaac as a sacrifice, Abraham said, “The Lord Himself will provide a lamb,” so again, God provides. This time by giving Israel the Passover lamb. He made provision for them to be saved by the death of another, but only if they acted in faith by painting the blood of the lamb upon the doorframes of their house.   “The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.” Exodus 12:13

It is interesting that later, when the Israelites would settle in the land, one little town was settled by several families that raised sheep. As the community grew, it fulfilled the task of providing the Israelite people with many sacrificial lambs. The Jewish rabbis would ultimately declare that the Passover lambs must come from there. That town was called Bethlehem (no coincidence). And, do you remember who were the first ones to receive the announcement of His birth and worship Him while He lay in the manger?   “… the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger…The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:15-16;20
 

For Passover, the Lord had declared that the lambs were to be selected on the 10th day of what would become the first month of their year. It would be many years later that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem through the Sheep Gate (from the east) on that very day - the 10th day of the first month - the day that had become known to the Jewish people as “lamb selection day”.  (What we call Palm Sunday).

After the lambs were selected by each family, they would be brought into the home and examined and inspected for three days. It was required that the lambs be without blemish or defect.  "...we have {a high priest} who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin." Hebrews 4:15

 

After the time of inspection, on the 14th day the lambs would be slain. The ninth hour (3 o’clock) on Friday was when the final sacrifice of Passover would be made. It is no accident that it was at this very time that Jesus cried from His cross, “It is finished.”

Some people say that Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah. I believe that not only did He say it, He demonstrated it. More than 1,200 years of sacrificial offerings pointed to His one great sacrifice.The question is, "Do we get the picture"?

“Here I am, the sacrificial lamb born in Bethlehem. Will you worship me?”

“Here I am, the perfect, spotless lamb coming to you on lamb selection day. Will you choose me?”

“Here I am, the lamb whose blood was shed to cover your sins. Will you apply it by faith?”

 

“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29

 

Impossible?

Today, there may be someone who needs to be reminded that nothing is impossible with God. Really. Nothing.

• Not that difficult situation you are experiencing at work.
• Not the conflict you are having at home.
• Not the confusing circumstances surrounding that decision you need to make.
• Not that rebellious child.
• Not the ministry you are attempting without seeing results. 
• Not the pain that is just not going away. 
• Not that broken heart, broken relationship, or broken promise that won't fix.
• Not your lack of talent, skills, knowledge, resources, or _____ (fill-in-the-blank).
• Not that rejection you have faced.
• Not the mistakes you have made.
• Not your personal problems.
• And not even the problems of the entire world (you know the ones that seem so overwhelming).

Why can we be confident of this? Because of the One who knew then what we know now.

Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again." Luke 18:31-33

He said, "He will", and He did. What was thought to be impossible was accomplished. The biggest triumph in all history occurred when least expected. As crazy as it may have seemed, the greatest rescue plan of all time was pulled off successfully.

What can we say about our situations then? In the words of a little child, "Not Im-possible, but Him-possible".

Rock and Roll

“When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!"  "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." Luke 19:37-40

I am so excited that this is Holy Week. Yesterday, we observed Palm Sunday, the day that our Lord entered the city of Jerusalem on a donkey demonstrating that He was a King coming in peace. I love reading about the enthusiasm with which the crowds praised Him. They sang; they danced; they waved palm branches and spread their cloaks on the road for Him to pass over (their version of a red carpet), and it says they did it joyfully and loudly (Greek word “megas”; hmm, like megaphone). Think March madness crowds only so much better!

 

Then, I am especially amazed by Jesus’ response to the Pharisees when they tried to quiet the crowd. Initially, I picture something like Sesame Street rock puppets swaying back and forth singing along with Elmo (remember I have three little guys). I guess this is because the idea is so difficult for me to wrap my mind around. Rocks crying out? Stones shouting praises to God? What? But, then I am humbled, and I remember Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” Wouldn’t it then seem perfectly normal for the creation to praise its Creator? After all, this is Jesus, the Maker of the universe, passing by. This is Jesus, who Revelation 4:11 says ALL of creation exists for His pleasure. He not only made it, He sustains it. He not only fashioned it, He directs it. He not only gave it existence, He is glorified by its very existence.

• Such as the billions of stars that He has called by name and are placed at the very points He determined. 
• Like the sun that He enables to shine and which does His bidding.
• Such as the planets which He taught how and where to orbit, and they follow His command.
• And the mountains that He shows where they are to be lifted up and the valleys where they are to lay low, and they stay put. 
• Then He commands the oceans and seas, “This far you may come and no further,” and they break on the very shores He designated for each of them.

So, when He says to mankind, “Praise the Lord”, and they respond, “No”, even the most simple and miniscule mineral formations could not bear it! They would have to respond.  Paul describes in Romans 8:19-23 the eager expectation and the groaning with which all creation awaits God’s final act of redemption. They are watching, and even now, they are waiting for our response.

Oh, but, the stones did not cry out that day long ago as King Jesus entered the city with His face set like flint determined to go to His cross. And I don't wish for them to do it for us now either; not as long as we have the breath to joyfully and to loudly praise Him. What are we waiting for?

Psalm 148

1 Praise the LORD.  Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.

2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.

4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.

5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created.

6 He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away

7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding,

9 you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,

11 kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, 12 young men and maidens, old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

14 He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Praise the LORD.

 

No Greater Love

Most of us have heard of the little game “He loves me, he loves me not.” It originated in France but is known the world over as a cute little way for people to “determine” if the one they love shares their affection (or not).  I remember playing it when I was younger though I never put much faith in it. I guess, being the logical thinker that I am, it occurred to me that the answer really just depended on the flower you happened to pick. So, if you didn’t like the first result, just pick another one. Now that I think about it, it seems like such a waste of floral beauty (maybe the environmentalists would argue that the practice should be banned). But, for whatever reason, this game came to my mind the other day, so I have created my own version of “He loves me, He loves me not” with this list that describes the love of Jesus for us.

He loves me…

He loves me NOT because of who I am

    He loves me because of Who He is

He loves me NOT because of what I have (or have not) done
    He loves me through what He has done

He loves me NOT to improve me
    He loves me to make me new

He loves me NOT temporarily
    He loves me with an everlasting love

He loves me NOT because I am superior
    He loves me because He is superior

He loves me NOT because I am righteous
    He loves me because of my need to be rescued

He loves me NOT because I am honest
    He loves me because He is Truth

He loves me NOT because I am good
    He loves me because He is great

He loves me NOT exclusively of others
    He loves me in union with others by making us to be His Bride, the Church

He loves me NOT to make me happy
    He loves me to make me holy (which will be my greatest happiness)

He loves me NOT only in my times of ease
    He loves me in my times of difficulty

He loves me NOT in secret
    He loves me by demonstrating it to the world

He loves me NOT because I have a prestigious name
    He loves me enough to give me His Name

He loves me NOT because I loved Him first
    He loves me and initiated a relationship with me while I was yet His enemy

He loves me NOT because I am pretty
    He loves me to make me pure

He loves me NOT half-heartedly
    He loves me with reckless abandon

He loves me NOT gradually
    He loves me completely

He loves me NOT because I am loving
    He loves me because He is Love

He loves me NOT because I am kind
    He loves me because He is King

All the flowers in the world would give themselves to be plucked and every petal they bear to be yanked off if only we humans would get this truth. I mean really get this truth deep into our very beings. The Apostle Paul wrote it this way, “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17b-19)

He loves you!

Need more convincing? Download “Love to the Uttermost” an ebook offered free for Holy Week from Desiring God.    http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/love-to-the-uttermost-free-ebook-for-holy-week

The Love of God

hymn by F.M. Lehman

 

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

 

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

 

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

 

Refrain

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Now That's a Fire!

Have I mentioned that I am the mother of three little boys (ages 8, 5, and 4)?  This would explain why anytime I am suddenly interrupted by phrases that include words such as “blood”, “flood”, or “fire”, the immediate reaction is my heart nearly stopping as it jumps into my throat. So it happened a few days ago when I was sitting quietly (a really rare moment) and my youngest rushed into the room babbling excitedly. I should have been happy with what I later learned was his spiritual enthusiasm, but all I caught at the moment was the phrase “church on fire”. “What? The church is on fire. What church? Where?”(you know the kind of panic that happens within a nanosecond). But, then, a logical thought followed, “That can’t be true. And if it were, how would he even know that?” After taking a moment to listen a bit further, I realized he was just asking to hear one of his favorite songs. (Laugh. Relief)

In light of that moment, we thought we would share it with you here. We hope you enjoy this song from the Irish band “Rend Collective” as much as we do. As I told him then, “Oh, now I understand. Yes, dear son, may the Lord set His Church on fire. Thank you for the startling reminder.” Let us pray for it dear friends.

“One thing and one thing alone keeps us from complete decay in this hour - the church, the true Church.” Leonard Ravenhill (author of Why Revival Tarries)

They are Weak, but He is Strong

What is it about little boys and their muscles? I cannot tell you how many times (this morning being the latest) that one of my little guys came to me with arms flexed up and out saying, “Feel this, momma.” Of course, I give their biceps a squeeze, then “ooh” and “ahh” and tell them how those muscles are almost as big as their Daddy’s (a mom’s form of exaggeration). The look that comes on their face is priceless. I know, in my grown-up mind, that there is barely a muscle there. On my four year old, I can nearly circle my fingers around his entire upper arm, yet, in his mind, he is burly. I just laugh to myself since I know his opinion is quite inflated. When I exercise in the mornings, he will grunt and strain to roll my dumbbells back into the closet for me. I will praise him and encourage him for doing it, even though I could pick them up for him with ease. I know that he is not so strong, but though these little muscles may be all he’s got for now, I am glad he is at least attempting to use them! With my mom vision, I can look ahead to that day when those muscles will have grown and become much bigger and stronger (maybe even more so than their Daddy’s).   

It is amazing how God uses little moments like these to teach us about Himself. Because these experiences have made me wonder what must be going through God’s mind when He looks at us, puny yet thinking we are so strong. He is our Father, so perhaps there is some degree of what I feel toward my boys that He feels toward us. Remember Matthew 17:20? Jesus said to His disciples, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." In other words, “No matter how small your efforts or your strength right now as long as it is devoted to and given up to Me”. That doesn’t sound to me like He discourages our scrawnyness. He knows we are weak and though it may be all we’ve got for now, we can attempt to use for His glory!  

Maybe we should also remember 2 Corinthians 12:10 when the Apostle Paul said, “That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  Christ-followers base their lives on His Word, but I have to ask, “Do we really believe this”? When was the last time we prayed that God would help us delight in our weaknesses? More often, we pray for Him to remove them. Oh to have the kind of confidence that even in our weakness, we can be strong. Oh, to learn to exercise our puny faith like we exercise our muscles, building it up to make it more useful and able to bear a greater load.

And, then, use your vision to look ahead. Can you see us now? Just like my little boys. Approaching our Father on His throne of grace, flexing our spiritual muscles in all-out worship and devotion to Him, then saying, “Look at what Your strong arm has done.” (Take the time to read Psalm 89:1-14 today).       ^”

 

 

A QUOTE JUST FOR FUN:  "I am willing, for a money consideration, to test this physical strength, this nervous force, and muscular power with which I've been gifted, to show that they will bear a certain strain. If I break down, if my brain gives way under want of sleep, my heart ceases to respond to the calls made on my circulatory system, or the surcharged veins of my extremities burst—if, in short, I fall helpless, or it may be, dead on the track, then I lose my money".    Ada Anderson (1860–?), U.S. marathon walker. Said c. 1878, the year in which Anderson amazed the world by "walking a quarter mile every fifteen minutes for a month." During that month, she never slept for more than ten minutes at a time. For her efforts, she won $10,000.

 

The Thirst Starter

There is an old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” We would all agree this is true. Yet, I also know (as a former-horse-owner) that if you provide that same horse with a scoop of his favorite sweet feed (you know the kind covered with molasses), sprinkled with a bit of mineral salt for good measure, then he can very soon drain a two gallon bucket of water in no time flat! Did I make him drink? No, but I helped to create a thirst in him that made him want to.

 

As Christ-followers, most of us have a desire to lead people to the Lord. Yet, we know we cannot make them receive Him. There have been times that I got frustrated and discouraged when they didn’t. And, unfortunately, I have often even used this as an excuse to keep me from attempting to lead them at all. “Why bother? They’re not interested,” or so I think. However, if the analogy holds true, then I can ask myself, “How am I creating a thirst in this person’s life for the Lord?”

Do I love them so sacrificially that it gives them a taste of what it is like to be loved by God (so much that they want to experience it for themselves)?

Do I humbly demonstrate a life of such purity that it causes them to notice their sin stains in front of a holy God (not to condemn but to convict)?

Do they see me patiently bearing with offenses instead of insisting on my rights so that they understand a God of grace and forgiveness? (Didn’t our Lord say they would know we are His disciples by the way we love one another?)

When they look at my life, do they notice a joy, a peace, and a firm foundation that is attractive to them? Not that they see a perfect life without difficulties, but rather, when they do see my weaknesses and difficulties, they think, “How is it possible that she has not lost her ever-loving mind by now? I must ask her the reason for the hope that is within her?” (OK, that's a rough version of 1 Peter 3:15.) 

We taught the first catechism to our boys at a very young age. “What is the chief end of man?  The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”  Giving glory to God means to display His great worth. Let’s pray that as others look at our lives, they will witness the awesome value of knowing and serving this wonderful King Jesus. Let’s create some thirst. After all, He is able to provide the living water (John 7:38).

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog! With it, I hope to share thoughts, ideas, encouragement, inspiration, and truth as the Lord leads me.  Do not expect to find great answers to theological questions or fine arguments in disputing doctrines. Instead, simply read the reflections of one who is seeking to mature in her knowledge of Christ and who humbly discovers that the more time passes, the more I must depend on Him for the answers. As a wife and a mother of three boys, please understand that what I write may likely be interpreted through this lens. It is the one God has given me for now, and one that continues to teach me a great deal about the Heavenly Father. I do hope you will join me in this endeavor.  In essence, I just want to deliver messages. I will hope and pray they are received only as the Lord intends. God bless you.