It is Finished
Often during the music worship time at church I am taken back to that moment in history where Jesus Christ hung on a cross and was punished for the sins of the world. In my mind's eye I see the entire universe, all of creation, and all of time, pivoting on that moment.
The Old Testament Saints were looking forward to the cross in faith and the New Testament Saints look back. That remarkable moment that affected future and past. Where God righted our wrong once and for all and for all time, past, present and future.
Several years ago I wrote how God showed me that it was the joy of my salvation (and yours) that gave Jesus strength as He went to the cross. It's a similar message that Musicianaries "Take No Glory" share in their song, "He Didn't Die in Vain."
Check out all of their music. They give it away for free!
John 19:30
“Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”
The story doesn’t end there. Jesus rose from the dead on the 3rd day! He appeared to His disciples and many others over a period of 40 days and then He ascended into Heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for the saints.
We are born with a sin nature thanx to the original sin committed by Adam, but God fixed it. Only He could. Sin (falling short of God’s perfection) demands a payment. Death. Jesus paid that price so God could be both Righteous and Love.
Righteous because God can’t say that sin brings death and then lie by not punishing sin. Because of God’s Love He sentenced His Son to our death so we could live with Him forever! It was the only way. That’s why Jesus said that the only way to the Father is through Him. And so it is. Finished. All you have to do is believe.
It’s Good News for a Reason!
If you have faith in what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross, then God is not holding your sins against you! Let me repeat that. God does not hold your sins against you if you are a child of God!
Your righteousness won’t get you any closer to God than the next fellow. Only God makes you righteous by your faith in His Son. Religion will tell you that you need to clean up your act in order for God to love you, bless you or approve of you. It’s just not true.
Sin IS deadly and will surely bring consequences in this life, but I repeat, if you have Jesus as your Savior God is not holding your sins against you. He is FOR YOU NOT AGAINST YOU!
This may be the best hour you invest all week and highly recommended for current and future Christians. It’s called the good news for a reason! Here is Pastor Duane Sheriff from November 28, 2010. Please listen:
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You can listen to and download all of Pastor Duane’s messages here, or just subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. You’ll be glad you did.
Love God, Love People, Continued
Just to elaborate a little more on my last post. Here is a 5 minute sample from a sermon that Pastor Duane Sheriff gave yesterday about the simple and powerful Biblical concept of Loving God and Loving People:
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You can hear the rest of Pastor Duane’s sermon and sermons here. You can also do what I do and that is subscribe to his podcast on iTunes.
Pastor Duane’s teachings have been a huge blessing in my life. I have been listening to him for 11 years and counting. I have visited his church in Durant, Oklahoma numerous times as well.
Pastor Duane’s teaching combined with my prayer time, reading my Bible and sitting under great preaching by my home pastors, I have been able to grow in God’s Word and Love. I haven’t arrived, but at least I’ve left the station, hallelujah. :-)
Overcoming Mayhem Like Me with God’s Love
At the beginning of the year I blogged about Mayhem Like Me. The human condition we find ourselves in thanx to original sin and living in a fallen world. It’s true. We sin. Sometimes we out and out disobey God, aka transgress. But that is not the end of the story! We can be encouraged by the Love of God and as a result cause less mayhem in our lives and in the lives of the people around us. Before I elaborate, let’s watch another one of those clever Allstate commercials that crack me up so much:
As I pointed out at the first of the year, you are in Good Hands when you are in God’s Hands. That is the answer to Mayhem like me.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
This verse is often misapplied to mean that God won’t give you more in this life than you can handle. I believe what Paul is saying here is that when you are tempted, God provides a way out and the temptation is not so intense that you can’t escape it.
What is the best way to escape temptation? Apply a heavy dose of God’s Love. God has often spoken to me to, “never forget how much I love you.” For me (and I’m guessing for you too) when I start to think that God has forgotten me, and my patience in doing good is wearing thin, that’s when I get discouraged and start entertaining mayhem. Stuff that might be fun for a season, but ultimately can bring pain into my life and others around me.
How do you stay encouraged in God’s Love? Stay plugged into the vine. Spend time with Him and in His Word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. As you listen to how much He loves you, and as you are reminded of all the wonderful things He has done for you, you can’t help but want to love Him back.
How do you love God back? Jesus explained more than once. It’s Love. Love God, Love People. When I teach Sunday School I tell the kids that if they forget everything else I tell them to remember one thing (which is two things). Love God. Love People. Jesus said in Matthew 22:35-40:
35 One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And He said to him, ” ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’
38 “This is the great and foremost commandment.
39 “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’
40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus also said to His disciples in John 14, “if you love Me you will keep my commandments.”
That is impossible to do perfectly. If we could keep God’s commandments by ourselves, we wouldn’t need Jesus to save us in the first place. Thankfully, God DID send Jesus to rescue us from mayhem.
So the practice of keeping mayhem out of our lives is a simple one, yet a daily struggle to walk out. First we have to accept the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross. Once we do that we receive God’s Spirit to dwell inside of us. God’s Spirit leads us into all truth which boils down to Love God, Love People. If we Love God we will keep His commands. If we love people we won’t steal from them, murder them, talk bad about them behind their backs and sleep with them outside of marriage. When we have moments of weakness and give in to temptation we can run to a loving God who will forgive us because He has already paid for our sins on the cross. As we apply God’s Love in our own hearts daily, we will be better able to resist when temptation comes knocking. I love the saying, “when the devil comes knocking, send Jesus to answer the door.” It’s with His strength that we fight the good fight.
Mayhem like me? Unfortunately yes at times. But thanx to God that He gives me the power to say no to mayhem and yes to His love! When someone else gives in to mayhem and it affects me, thanx to God’s love I can forgive and even help restore the damage done.
Mayhem may be with us until Jesus comes back, but if we will practice His love in our lives, and share it with others, there will be less mayhem and more of God’s Love. That’s how God’s Kingdom is come to Earth as it is in Heaven.
I Have a Dream
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream. A dream that is clearly a Biblical principle. That men would be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day I think it’s appropriate to listen again to that amazing speech given in August of 1963.
There are some that complain that the Bible condones slavery. Dr. King, being a preacher of God’s Word, knew that that couldn’t be further from the truth. Unfortunately slave traders and slave owners of the 18th and 19th Centuries did what they could to cloud the issue and attempt to justify their sin. They pointed to passages in the Bible that seem to approve of slavery, but left out some very important facts.
The most important is that the slavery that was allowed in Biblical times was indentured servitude. Back then if you went into debt and couldn’t repay, you became a slave to pay off the debt. Once the debt was paid, or at Jubilee, a slave was to be set free and debt free. Many servants liked the way their masters took care of them and chose to stay as Bond Servants. (just as God’s people are called to be His Bond Servants)
Meanwhile, Man Stealing was explicitly forbidden in the Law and was punishable by death:
Exodus 21:16
16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.
Any slave trader who tried to justify kidnapping people to sell them into slavery by using the Bible was adding to their list of sins.
Indeed it was a Christian that fought to end the slave trade in England. They made a movie about the life of William Wilberforce, “Amazing Grace.” The famous hymn of the same name was written by a former slave trader who later became a member of the clergy. The song conveys the amazing grace of God who can rescue even a slave trader from his horrible sins thanx to the sacrifice made on the cross by God’s only Son Jesus!
If you want to know God’s heart when it comes to prejudice you can look at Moses and his sister Miriam. In Numbers Chapter 12 we learn that Miriam and Aaron were upset at Moses because he had married an Ethiopian. God got upset and gave Miriam a taste of Leprosy:
Number 12:9-11
9 So the anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed. 10 And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. 11 So Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord! Please do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned.
Moses cried out to God to heal his sister and God answered, but only after Miriam stayed outside of camp for seven days. God says that man judges the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.. One of many great points that Martin Luther King, Jr. made in his speech was that man should see his fellow man as God sees him.
I have a dream that echos the dreams of Dr. King. That this nation will turn to Biblical principles. That God’s Word and Spirit would guide our individual words and actions. That lawmakers and those appointed in authority would look to God for guidance as they lead. And yes, that God would continue to bless America and that He would use His people to be salt and light always.
Is SB1070 a Just Law?
A friend of mine sent out an e-mail to a number of folks on her email list. One of the recipients cited scripture:
Exodus 23:9, “Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.”
And here was my 2 cents worth response:
Joseph and his family were asked to stay in Egypt by Pharaoh when Joseph was “Assistant Pharaoh.” Hundreds of years later the “nation” of Israel had grown in numbers and the new Pharaoh forgot the promises made to Joseph and his family generations before. Egypt oppressed Israel out of fear mostly. While Israeli’s were “aliens” in Egypt, they were legally in the country, even esteemed invited guests to begin with.
In other words, Israel entered Egypt legally and later had their rights revoked. Quite different than Illegals that break the law to become aliens. Hence, illegal aliens. Read Romans 13 if you want to know what God thinks about obeying the law. The authorities are both a minister of God and don’t wield the sword for nothing. If you do good you don’t need to fear the authorities.
SB1070 is not an “unrighteous” law that goes against God’s laws or even Jesus’ teachings.
If we are to show compassion toward our fellow man, what about the hundreds (thousands?) of illegals that are kidnapped and raped by those bringing them here? What about the repeat criminals that don’t belong here that are stealing, killing and raping Americans? In some cases raping children.
There is nothing wrong with asking someone for their “papers” when (and ONLY when) someone is stopped for a suspected crime. When I get stopped for speeding what is the first thing the officer asks me for? My “papers.” A drivers license is “your papers.” Legal Aliens are expected to carry their proof of being here, and they know it, and they do it gladly! (at least the ones I have talked to) Border Patrol already has the authority to ask anyone, and everyone, if they are legal residents and if they suspect otherwise they can search your vehicle and check your “papers” all according to existing Federal Law.
I am tired about this law being lied about. This law makes it HARDER for police to racial profile. This law forces sanctuary cities to stop enabling criminals. This law makes it a felony for an illegal to reenter after being deported. It’s NOT a police state bill. It is a state law that does what existing federal law does. Those that are lying about SB1070 are stirring up hatred. Some people honestly don’t know better and the media is helping them to misunderstand. Others are lying on purpose for political reasons. Talk to a rancher on the border about how they live in fear. Our state leaders couldn’t wait any longer to protect it’s own citizens, that’s all.
Not everybody coming here is looking for a better life. Many of those that are end up “stealing” social services and tax payer $$ for health care and education. Others looking for a better life are being kidnapped and raped. Phoenix is the WORLD’S second leading city for kidnapping! Where’s the outcry over that?
America has a LONG history of being king to Aliens. Most of us are ancestors of those who immigrated here legally. We have seen the aliens and we are them!
I enjoy a good debate, but it should NEVER included name calling. We should discuss these things openly so we can come to well reasoned solutions. Unfortunately there are forces tearing us apart. There is way too much name calling going on… and lying. Please pray for our country.
Today’s Proverb for November 25, 2009
Proverbs 25:18
18 Telling lies about others
is as harmful as hitting them with an ax,
wounding them with a sword,
or shooting them with a sharp arrow.
I have a friend who walks the streets of NW Tucson. I don’t know too much about her, but we have visited a couple of times. I have even given her rides and bought her some groceries. You may have seen her too. She carries a parasol and is often walking on Oracle Road.
I always wondered what her story was. When I met her I discovered she is a Christian. As she walks, she looks for work cleaning or other work to help pay her rent. As we talked I discovered that people make fun of her and it’s hurtful to her. Although she doesn’t lead a “normal” life as most people understand it, she is a real person with real feelings. I imagine 99% of the folks who talk bad about her have never met her and have no idea what her life is like.
Today’s Proverb is a great reminder to me not to run people down. If I can’t say it to their face in love then it’s just not worth saying.
God’s Wrath?
(I have posted this here and at www.LoveForTheTruth.com)
A very respected pastor has made a dire prediction. That many of the nations, and the worlds, cities will soon be infernos. Pastor David Wilkerson is quoted in a World Net Daily exclusive:
David Wilkerson, author of “The Cross and the Switchblade,” a book about his ministry to troubled New York street kids that was later made into a movie starring Pat Boone, tells readers of his blog this weekend that he is “compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message” about his prediction.
“An earth-shattering calamity is about to happen,” he writes. “It is going to be so frightening, we are all going to tremble – even the godliest among us.”
He goes on to say that it will be God pouring out His wrath in judgment on sinful nations. This is where I feel compelled to interject. While I don’t disagree that some horrible disaster might be on the horizon, I do NOT believe it will be God’s wrath!
We live in a fallen world and we have an enemy. Satan and a third of the angels have been cast out of Heaven. Revelation 12:12 says:
12“For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”
Yes, the devil is not happy. He hates you. You are made in God’s image and he wants to destroy God. Since he can’t, he’s after you and your testimony.
Now don’t get me wrong. God hates sin and He has, is, and will, deal with it. Just not the way some people think. First, God dealt with sin on the cross. He poured out His wrath on Jesus so He wouldn’t have to pour it out on you! If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and savior than the Bible says that you are redeemed from the curse of the law. That’s good news! That’s THE good news!
Abraham knew God and He knew God’s character. The LORD and a couple of His angels were on their way to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham made a plea on Sodom’s behalf. You can read the whole thing in Genesis 18, but here’s a revealing snippet:
25“Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”
26So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.”
Abraham knew that God wouldn’t deal with the righteous unrighteously! God only found one righteous man in Sodom and he got Lot and his family out first before He destroyed the place. God’s character hasn’t changed.
After 911 many pastors said God was judging America for our sins. Same after Hurricane Katrina. Do you think there were 10 righteous believers in those planes that hit the twin towers? In the Pentagon? In New Orleans?
Prepare for hard times? Sure. It’s good to recognize the season and the times we are in. Blame God for it? No. I’m gonna blame our enemy and use uncertain times to tell people about a loving God who died for them so they don’t have to. A God who wants to make their future solid in Him!
Work Pays Off
Funny. I can’t seem to get motivated. Will I have to jog 3 – 5 miles a day for the rest of my life so I can be fit and trim and avoid dying of a heart attack? I think I’m starting to think I am more of a hiker bike rider than the runner I used to be. It’s harder than I remember!
Then there is this. My junior year in high school I returned from my Summer vacation in San Diego. I had spent the Summer goofing off at the beach and sneaking joints when I could. (I was pretty lost back then. No focus. No vision.) I reported for two a days in bad shape. I struggled through the first game and then quit so I could party. It’s one of the biggest regrets of my life! If I had to do it over again, I would have stayed home for the Summer, worked out with the team, and been the stud on the football field I should have been.
How does that relate to now? True, I don’t have anything to prove on the field. That’s for men younger than I. However, there is a life lesson for me. Press through. Set a goal and trust God to help me achieve it. I can’t let my laziness of the past few years keep me from good health now. It will be hard. I will want to quit. But if I will persevere, there will be a reward. The Bible says that work pays off:
- Proverbs 10:4
Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. - Proverbs 12:24
The hand of the diligent will rule, But the slack hand will be put to forced labor. - Proverbs 13:4
The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, But the soul of the diligent is made fat. - Proverbs 21:5
The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
You get the idea :-)
So, this morning, I am going to jog. I signed up for www.everyoneruns.net, a 5.5 mile run on April 14th. Ambitious considering I am having trouble running 2 miles right now! But, with persistence I can do this.
I wanted to climb to the top of Pusch Peak today, but I don’t have the 6 hours it will take. Even better, I want to climb to Finger Rock. The vertical climb is the same, but since the trail starts higher, it ends higher! Awesome views from up there, I’m sure. Plus I’ve yet to climb to Finger Rock. Maybe on Monday…
Sacrifice of Praise
Hebrews 13:12-16
12Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
13So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
14For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.
15Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.16And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
I was hiking the other day. Actually, I’ve been hiking a lot lately. I signed up for a 5.5 mile run on April 11th and I am going to be ready! However, actually getting ready is WORK! As I was huffing and puffing my way up the steep slopes this concept of “Sacrifice of Praise” came to mind. I believe the Lord showed me something. I’ll share it with you and you can decide if God is speaking to you too.
I know I don’t look like it so much these days, but in high school I was a pretty good athlete. A sprinter, football player, one year of soccer even. Games and meets and matches were fun. Practice, not always. It took work to get in shape, to train the God given abilities to be able to perform at a high level (hopefully) on game day. Some of those practices were grueling. Another set of intervals when you were ready to throw up. More wind sprints after a hard practice with the coach blowing his whistle and barking at us to move it. Needless to say, there were days I would have rather been doing other things. The payoff was; being in great shape, and running a good time in the 100, or making a big play to help win the game, etc.
As I was huffing and puffing up Pusch Peak and I was noticed that I really wasn’t in the mood for a hard hike. I was tired. It had been a long day. I almost turned back, but I decided to press on. To make a sacrifice! With a payoff in mind; get into great shape (someday, with consistent training), and be ready to run 5.5 miles on April 11th. I was offering a sacrifice of hiking! I ended up making really good time compared to just the week before. My workouts were paying off! But I don’t always feel like working out.
God started showing me the parallel. Sacrifice of working out when I don’t feel like it builds discipline in my life and rewards here on Earth. Spiritual sacrifice builds discipline in my life and rewards here, and in Heaven! A win win! That is so like God.
How many times in tough circumstances do we run to the TV, or comfort food, or our favorite sin, instead of thanking God in (not for, but in) the circumstance. This is where the sacrifice of praise comes into play. Instead of running from God, or ignoring Him, when the tough gets going, this is the time to run to God! Consistently. Especially when you don’t feel like it! He is always there. He loves us soooooo much! He is close to the brokenhearted!!! He desires for us to rely on Him and to trust Him all the time, not just when life is going well.
When we run to Him we receive all of His benefits. We cry Abba Father to the caring Dad who has already met our needs forever through His Son Jesus and longs to meet them now! Why do I cry in my beer when I can cry on His shoulder? Especially when alcohol is a depressant! No. It’s the sacrifice of praise that will build spiritual discipline. Not so much because our hard work brings us closer to God, but rather, the closer we stay to God the more His presence can change us! Discipline is a fruit of the Spirit. We can only bear fruit when we are connected to the vine. Still, staying close to God can be a fight!
If working out brings a benefit, how much more spiritual discipline.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
Next time you are feeling down. Like God has forgotten your name. Run to His loving arms. Praise His name for giving you life! For giving you His Son as a sacrifice! He hasn’t forgotten your name. He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you. Take Him at His Word, even though sometimes the going is very hard.
Psalm 126:5 & 6
5Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.
6He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Keep sowing good even when it feels bad. It will pay great dividends!
