Rejoice! He has risen!

It is early in the morning of the third day

and the tomb is empty.

The huge stone has been rolled up and away out of its groove in the ground.

The Roman seal has been broken.

The guard (consisting of 15-30 men) felt the earthquake and saw the angel.

They "became as dead men" Matthew 28:4

Inside, the tomb is empty.

All that remains is the burial cloth.

The two Mary's have come to anoint the body. Mark 24:1

The angel tells the women "He is not here, but is risen!" Luke 24:6

As they run to tell the disciples Jesus appears to them 

and He says 

"Rejoice....go and tell."

Mark 16

Matthew 28

Luke 24

Can You Not See!

You're on a road, traveling.

He is walking with you.

The conversation is heavy.

The past few days have been traumatic.

Your hopes and dreams have been dashed.

He is a stranger, yet seems so familiar.

He asks questions He should already know.

All day He walks with you.

Behind your despair, you feel at peace somehow.

He tells you it was necessary.

He explains the prophets and scriptures.

You listen, but not yet see.

You now have questions and urge Him to continue.  

It is late.

You sit with Him and eat.

He breaks bread with you.

Suddenly, your eyes open.

Now you see.

You know!

Jesus is with you!

Luke 24:13-31

The Passion

Vine's Expository describes the word "passion" as 'to suffer' 'at the hands of men.'

It is derived by the Greek word "pascho" which means

"to be affected or have been affected;

either in a good or bad sense."

Pascho occurs 46 times in the KJV and

is translated several ways:

suffer, to suffer, vexed, suffered, have suffered, passion, & felt.

Webster's defines passion firstly, as the sufferings of Christ.

Second, suffering.

Third, the state or capacity of being acted on by external agents.

Lastly, coming in at number 5, ardent affection. 

(Which did not come into use until the 1600's after Shakespeare put it in a play)

Today is Good Friday or Holy Friday. (The Friday before Easter)

Today we celebrate the Passion of Christ's suffering for us.

He allowed external forces to take control of Him

and 

cause His suffering unto death.

We cannot begin to imagine His pain and suffering.

But be of good cheer!

Sunday's Coming!!!!!!

Read Matthew 27

Shekinah-The Radiant Light of God

My eyes will light upon the Lord

For the Lord is my light.

He shines the path my feet will walk

Psalm 119:105

The Lord turns my darkness into light

2 Samuel 22:29

It is He Who keeps the light on.

Psalm 18:28

The Lord is my everlasting light and will never fail.

Isaiah 60:19

I will trust and rely on His light and 

no longer fear the dark.

Isaiah 50:10

The light of the Lord is my armor.

Romans 13:12

I will live and enjoy His light.

Job 33:28

I will wrap myself in His light.

Psalm 104:2

The Lord is the fountain of life and

through His light I see.

Psalm 36:9

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

He is my strength.

Psalm 27:1

His light is a rare and precious jewel.

Revelation 21:11

In the Lord I have become light and

walk as a child of light.

Ephesians 5:8

For it is the Lord Who called me into His light

1 Peter 2:9

And Still He Comes! (Palm Sunday)

On this day Christians celebrate the Triumphal Entry of Jesus.

Matthew 21:1-9

Jesus enters into the city of Jerusalem knowing what lies ahead.

He knows!

Jesus knows He will soon be facing the cross.

And still He comes!

He knows of the humiliation.

And still He comes! 

He knows the pain and death that awaits Him.

And still he comes!

He knows!

He knows He must endure the cross to set us free.

He knows He must endure the cross to redeem us.

So He comes!

What Choice Do You Have?

Actually, you do have a choice.

You have a choice to live in turmoil or to live in peace.

Jesus gave us peace.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, 

My peace I give to you;

not as the world gives do I give to you.

Let not you heart be troubled,

neither let it be afraid.

We already have this peace inside of us. Jesus gave it to us.  

But He also told us to use it.

To remain in peace.

Peace is a choice just like it is a choice to worry or be angry.

Colossians 3:15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts....

There will be many situations  to put peace to the test.

It is how we choose to act in those situations on whether we keep our peace.

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God

which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Keep the Peace!

Is It Golden?

The “Golden Rule” is a Biblical principle.  

Most of us probably learned this as children, but what does it mean?  Plainly, it means to treat people with kindness, compassion, patience, understanding (whenever possible) and love.  In essence, just the way we all would like to be treated.

Jesus taught the people on the sermon of the mount this very principle.  Matthew 7:12 AMP So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them, for this is (sums up) the Law and the Prophets.  His teaching goes beyond simply treating others the way we want to be treated.  Jesus teaches us to treat others right even when they don’t. 

It is not how we feel after being treated wrongly.  Don’t let your feelings dictate how you act towards others.  Think first about what Jesus would do.   Pray.  Then act in love.

“God is not going to hold you accountable for what somebody else does, but He will hold you accountable for what you do.”  Joyce Meyers

We will all stand before Him.  What will God say?  “Well done or …………you fill in the blank.

It's a Balancing Act!

There must be balance. 

An old English proverb—“Too much work and not enough play makes Jack a dull boy”. 

Well, we may not be dull, but we can lose sight of what is important.  Jesus told Martha “you are worried and troubled about many things.”  Luke 10:41 Martha did not focus herself on God, she was too busy cleaning and cooking to take in His goodness.

We in the same way tend to busy ourselves and go overboard busying with daily activities.  Or we can go completely the other way and spend too much time in leisure activities.  We must have balance!

• Ø  A time of quiet solitude with our Lord in prayer.
• Ø  A time of praise and worship.
• Ø  A time of fellowship.
• Ø  A time of work.
• Ø  A time of play.
• Ø  A time with family and friends.
• Ø  A time of rest.

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:  Ecclesiastes3:1-8

The Storm

In the midst of the storm you can be sure of one thing.  Jesus is with you.  You might think He is asleep.   That He is not calming your storm.  Rest assured Jesus is there in the middle of it.  Jesus is there in the boat with you!  Mark4:37-41

The mighty power of God can calm a raging storm into a gentle breeze, take the foaming ocean torrents and quiet them.  How much more can He calm your storm of problems?

Our problems will always exist.  They will come and go as if we travel on an emotional tempest.  Some days will be high, full of blessings.  Other days will be low, full of difficulty, and oft times scary to face.  It is in the low days where our faith and trust in Him is of the utmost importance.  

Jesus will see us to the other side.  Mark 5:1 Then they came to the other side of the sea…….  He will not let us drown.  At just the right time, He moves us to the other side.

God's Poem

We are God's poem!

In Ephesians, we are told that we are His workmanship.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we

should walk in them.

In the Greek language, workmanship is the word poiema.

It means "that which has been made," or

"of the works of God as Creator."

Our word poem is derived from this Greek word.

We were made by God's hand.

Beautifully crafted, 

lovingly touched by God.

What a wonderful way in which to look at ourselves.

We  were made by the Master Poet

and

we are all masterpieces!

NOW, NOT LATER!

When is it too late for salvation?  The obvious answer is definitely after death, but is there a time before death when it becomes too late?

 Jesus tells His disciples a parable of 10 virgins. Five were wise and brought extra lamp oil while waiting for the bridegroom. Five were foolish and brought only the oil in their lamps.  When the bridegroom came the wise virgins were able to follow after him and enter the house. The foolish ones had to go and buy oil and when they arrived at the house were turned away.  The groom told them “I do not know you.” Matthew 25:1-13 

No one will know when Jesus will return, only that He will.  Matthew 24:36 NIV But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  This parables meaning for us is to be ready for His return no matter the time of day or night.  To be ready involves being born again through faith in Jesus Christ and His death, burial and resurrection.  Romans 10:9 NLT For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 

Today is all we have. We are not promised tomorrow.  So whether you are 9 or 90, salvation is a prayer away.  Don’t put off coming to Christ, it could be too late. Don’t chance your eternity on waiting to the last minute.  It’s now, not later.

Simple Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

I come to You in the Name of Jesus.  I admit that I am a sinner and ask You to forgive me of all my sins.  The Bible says if I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that He rose from the dead I will be saved.  I believe with my heart and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is the Lord and Savior of my life. Thank You for saving me.

In Jesus Name I pray.  Amen.

God's Armor

Ephesians 6:11

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able

to stand against the wiles of the devil.

God has given to us armor to live a victorious life.

Just as in days of old, men put on armor to protect themselves against the enemy.

These men fought against flesh and blood.

We, however, fight a battle that is unseen.

Ephesians 6:12

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 heavenly  places.

So what is the armor?

1. Belt of Truth-This is the first part of the armor.  Soldiers use a belt to hold their weapons and to protect vital areas.  In the same way the belt of truth protects us spiritually and keeps us from being vulnerable.  God's word is our protection from the enemy.
2. Breastplate of Righteousness-A breastplate covers the chest to protect the heart.  When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we gain His righteousness. 
3. Sandals of Peace-Terrain was difficult in ancient times and soldiers needed good protective footwear.  God's footwear allows us to carry out peace and share the Gospel throughout the world.
4. Shield of Faith-The shield defended soldiers from arrows and spears. In the same way, the shield of faith defends us from the fiery darts of the evil one.  It is our faith in Jesus that protects us.  We must lift up our shield.
5. Helmet of Salvation-The helmet protects the head.  The helmet of salvation protects our head where thoughts and knowledge reside. 
6. Sword of the Spirit-The sword is an offensive weapon.  By wielding the word of God, we defend ourselves both offensively and defensively against Satan.
7. Power of Prayer-Finally, the power of prayer keeps us alert and in constant communication with God.

Every day, put on the whole armor of God

The Reason....

Communion or Lord's Table and why we still observe it!

First.

It is a ordinance from the Lord.  

Jesus instituted the practice of communion at the Last Supper.  He specifically told us to continue as a remembrance of Him and His work.  

He fulfilled the Old Testament of the Passover Lamb. I Corinthians 5:7   

By His shed blood, we have been passed over from death to life.  Exodus 12:23.

Second.

We glorify God by our observance.

We remember Jesus and what He has done for us.

 1 Corinthians 11:26

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim 

the Lord's death till He comes.

We proclaim God's love and that the power of sin 

was broken over us.

Third.

It is a time of where we can examine ourselves.

1 Corinthians 11:28

A time of repentance.

Every person born again can partake.

There is no rule or mandate as to how often or where.

Jesus simply said, "As often as you do this."

At church or alone at home,

Remember Him!

The Cup....

     

Matthew 26:27-28 Then He took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying, “Drink from it all of you.  For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

The cup is symbolic of a new and better covenant. It is based on better promises and assured by the blood of Jesus.  It represents the remission of sins.  So completely forgiven is sin that they are remembered no more.  Hebrews9:15-22

Jesus, being the Mediator, stands in the gap between God and man. 

The definition of mediate: to bring accord out of action, to reconcile differences, to intervene to bring about reconciliation, and to settle differences.

By the blood of Jesus and His sacrifice, our accounts before God have been settled once for all.  We have been pardoned completely.  We can come boldly before the throne without guilt or fear of rejection.

Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blook of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from and evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

When God looks at us, all He sees is Jesus. 

The Bread.......

Matthew 26:26  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body".

We break bread daily.

It is done with family and friends.

It is a term we use casually. 

It's a metaphor for having a meal together.

However, in Biblical times, it really meant to break bread.

So why is it important?

Bread was essential to maintain life.

It was a very social act and a time of fellowship.

At the Last Supper, Jesus broke bread with the disciples.

He knew He was going to the cross.

Jesus chose breaking bread for a symbol of what was to come.

His body was broken for us.

Luke 22:19  And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

Take and break bread

Remember Jesus!

The Path

 
Matthew 7:13-14  Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Shepherds use gates to protect their sheep.  They protect the sheep from those who would steal them and for protection in the wild.  The gate itself is low and narrow which leads to a secure corral or area where the shepherd can watch over the sheep and there is only one way through.  If a gate is wide, the sheep will tend to meander around and it becomes easy for them to lose their way.  Often the shepherd was the gate.

In a similar way, Jesus is our gate.  He tells us this in John 10:7  Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

In ancient times there were different types of roads leading into the city.  Cities were surrounded by high walls ad gates located at different places.  The wide gates allowed a multitude of people to enter in.  The narrow gates were more private and allowed few to enter in to.

The Golden or East Gate now sealed.
A gate it is said Jesus will return to.

The Sheep Gate.

To arrive at the narrow gate, one must travel on the narrow path.  The narrow path is found only through Jesus. John 14:6 It is harder to find and harder to stay on.  It is not paved with good intentions or living a "good" life.  If it were, everyone would be able to go through.

The wide path leads only to destruction.  It is paved with fleshly desires.  This road is filled with many traps and detours.  It all looks and feels great while in the midst of it, but ultimately  it leads to death and destruction.

Which road will you choose?

Grace!

What is grace?

It is God's unmerited favor.

We didn't earn it!

We didn't deserve it!

God gives us grace simply because He loves us.

In the Bible, the word grace and favor are used interchangeably.

They occur 156 times in 147 verses.

It is the Greek word Charis.

Strong's Concordance describes grace.

1) grace

• that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech

2) good will, loving-kindness, favor

• of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting His holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.

3) what is due to grace

• the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace
• the token or proof of grace, benefit

4) thanks, (benefits, services, favors), recompense, reward

God's grace pours out to us to empower, reward, bless, and overcome!

It is His way!

Psalm 84:11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and mercy. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly