Beyond the Cross!

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After Judas had gone, Jesus said:

Now the Son of Man will be given glory, and he will bring glory to God.  Then, after God is given glory because of him, God will bring glory to him, and God will do it very soon.

My children, I will be with you for only a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won't find me. I tell you just as I told the people, “You cannot go where I am going.” But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.

John 13:31-35

Jesus looked beyond the Cross. He was just hours from having the nails driven into His hands but He was already thinking about the Glory that He had before He came to this earth and He focused on the fact that it was going to be restored!

As you see the storm clouds beginning to rise and the beautiful day threatens to turn into a terrifying night remember the joy that will come in the morning! One advantage of living in time instead of eternity is that everything comes to an end in this world, including suffering and pain.

If you are, like Jesus only hours away from having the nails driven into your hands, then do as He did. Look beyond your cross to the time when you will see the sun again and the joy that is on the other side of that cross.

"Lord Jesus help me  look beyond the cross that I am facing. Reassure me that the only thing that will go on forever is the joy of being with You in Heaven. Come quickly Lord and let that Day begin. And may You be praised forever. Amen."

Pretending to Trust

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But the Lord has filled me

with power and his Spirit.

I have been given the courage

to speak about justice

and to tell you people of Israel

that you have sinned.

So listen to my message,

you rulers of Israel!

You hate justice

and twist the truth.

You make cruelty and murder

a way of life in Jerusalem.

You leaders accept bribes

for dishonest decisions.

You priests and prophets

teach and preach,

but only for money.

Then you say,

“The Lord is on our side.

No harm will come to us.”

Micah 3:8-11

There have been ships that everyone believed could not sink and there are countries that claim the blessings and protection of God while refusing to repent and turn to Him!

If yours is a "Christian nation," but still holds on to customs that are forbidden in Scripture then you are sure to find out how God deals with those who claim His blessings without following His Word! If revival comes to your land it will begin with conviction of sin and brokenness. Revival is not simply a new excitement about the things of God.

Revival starts with the crushing recognition of your own unworthiness and how lost you would be without Jesus. And so you repent as fast as you can and run to Jesus as the only place of rest and security.

You can say "In God We Trust" and even print that phrase on your money without really trusting in God. Other men may hear your words, but God knows your heart. If you are pretending to follow Jesus, God knows that. It is time to repent and turn your whole heart over to the love of God!

"Dear Lord, I confess that we have claimed Your blessings, but ignored Your Word. Show us clearly the sins that we are clinging to so we can repent. Help us then Lord to turn and cling to You forever. Amen."

Wisdom from God!

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It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;

to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

Proverbs 25:2

God hides things from men. The Holy Spirit reveals things to men and women who have given their hearts to Jesus Christ.

Every question that God asks is "rhetorical." God knows the answer to every question before He asks it. God knows many questions that have never been asked and He knows the answers to those questions as well.

The wisest man who ever lived, Solomon knew much more than the average human being, but he also knew much less than God. Even if you knew everything that human beings know, you would not even approach the wisdom and knowledge of God. The Bible even says that our wisdom is only foolishness to God.

Satan has taken over much of our human systems of higher education because that is where he says once again "you can be wise like God." Even for many Christians God has become a secondary source of wisdom and knowledge. They strive to know how to live this life from the wisdom and knowledge of man and only turn to God in emergencies.

Prayer should be the first place you go when you need wisdom and knowledge. When there is a question for which you have no answer ask God to show you what He knows about the matter. Satan says you can be like God by rebelling against Him. Jesus says you can like God by becoming His disciple and being filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

"Lord Jesus I confess to You that I have turned so often to the world for wisdom and knowledge instead of coming to You for what I need. So Jesus I ask that You give me the wisdom and knowledge that I need for today. Praise Your Name forever. Amen."

Tell Me the Story!

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When your people worshiped,

you know I told them,

“Our Lord always helps!”

When all your people met,

I did not keep silent.

I said, “Our Lord is kind.

He is faithful and caring,

and he saves us.”

You, Lord, never fail

to have pity on me;

your love and faithfulness

always keep me secure.

Psalm 40:9-11

When you worship with the people of God do you tell them about the love of God in your life? Where would you be today without God? You have a story about God's love that no one else can tell. When you tell that story to others you are encouraging the saved to come closer to Jesus and the lost to turn their hearts toward the Lord.

When I was seven years old I remember looking up at the sky and suddenly realizing that God desired that I live my life for Him. I didn't know what that would mean, but from that day on I let my heart go toward Jesus. That was almost sixty years ago, and of course there have been stumbles along the way, but Jesus has been the direction of my life ever since that day. I can truthfully say that every major decision in my life since then has been made with the "what would Jesus want me to do" element.

Look back at your life whether it has been sixty years or six and see how God has shown His love to you. Things don't "just happen" in a life that is called by God. Even if you ignored it at the time, when did you first hear the Lord calling you to follow Him? How long has Jesus been trying to get your attention and wanting you to leave everything else and follow Him?

If you have already given your heart to Jesus, then rehearse your story so you can encourage other believers and call sinners to turn to Jesus after hearing how God loves you.

My strength comes from Jesus. My life comes from Him. My sins are wiped away because of Him and my future is secure because He will come and take me to Heaven.

Remember, if you have everything else in the world but don't have Jesus, you have nothing. And if you have nothing in this world, but you do have Jesus, you have everything!

"Jesus, You are all I need in this world. Living with You in my heart and Your Holy Spirit guiding my steps I can only be at peace and filled with joy no matter what happens to me or around me. Give me another opportunity  to tell my story about You today. And may You be praised forever. Amen."

The Breath of God!

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But don't be fooled! People will rebel against God. Then before the Lord returns, the wicked one who is doomed to be destroyed will appear.  He will brag and oppose everything holy or sacred. He will even sit in God's temple and claim to be God. Don't you remember I told you this while I was still with you?

You already know what is holding this wicked one back until it is time for him to come.   His mysterious power is already at work, but someone is holding him back. And the wicked one won't appear until this someone is out of the way.  Then he will appear, but the Lord Jesus will kill him simply by breathing on him. He will be completely destroyed by the Lord's glorious return.

2 Corinthians 2:3-8

The Breath of God brought life to the lump of clay that became Adam and the Breath of Jesus will bring death to the "wicked one who is doomed to be destroyed."

When the Breath of God blows on your life what will it do? Will it be a refreshing breeze that cools and sustains you in your walk with Jesus, or will it carry the Word of condemnation directed at those who run away from the Lord?

When the Lord speaks a Word it is carried by His breath. Every time you hear the Word of God you are touching His Breath. I believe that may be why the spoken Word brings faith to the hearer.

We were made in God's image. God breathes and so we breathe. Not only did man's life come from the Breath of God, but unless we keep on breathing we will live only a few minutes. We need to breathe more than we need to eat or drink. When you stand close to God you are continually breathing the "air" that comes from Him. So as we inhale God's breath our life is strengthened.

On this earth if you breathe the wrong air you will get sick or even die. So may even the air that you breathe come from God Himself. Then you will live forever!

"Lord, may Your breath deliver Your Word to my heart. And Lord, may I constantly inhale the air that comes from You as I like Adam receive life from Your breath. And may You be praised forever. Amen."

What Time Is It?

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Then the 24 elders, who were seated on thrones in God's presence, knelt down and worshiped him. They said,

“Lord God All-Powerful,

you are and you were,

and we thank you.

You used your great power

and started ruling.

 

When the nations got angry,

you became angry too!

Now the time has come

for the dead

to be judged.

It is time for you to reward

your servants the prophets

and all your people

who honor your name,

no matter who they are.

It is time to destroy everyone

who has destroyed

the earth.”

Revelation 11:16-18

"What time is it?" It is a simple question, but one with profound and eternal implications.

When you learn to tell time as a child you gain the ability to order your life in a way that is appropriate and profitable. A man who can "tell time" knows when to work, eat and sleep.

Even though there is no time in eternity, while we live on this earth time is very important. There will be a time for the "dead to be judged." There will be a time for God to "reward His servants the prophets and all His people who honor His name." And there will be a time to "destroy everyone who has destroyed the earth."

How do you tell what time it is on God's clock? How can you know what He will do and when He will do it? Knowing the timing of God's Events is not a game. We are not given puzzle pieces and a game board to try and put it all together. Knowing God's timing is the result of a relationship with Him. If you want to know what God will do and when He will do it, spend time with Him in His Word every day. Let the Bible speak specifically to your heart and listen for God's explanation of what you read. Then you will be ready every day for whatever God decides it is time to do.

"Lord Jesus, I know that today is on Your calendar. I know that You have plans for this day as You move in power to bring this world to be ready for Your return. Help me to be ready for Your timing in my life! Amen."

Fly With Jesus!

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God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.  And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires.   God's Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit.   But don't be conceited or make others jealous by claiming to be better than they are.

Galatians 5:22-26

It looked like an airplane. It had wings and a tail and all the "stuff" needed to fly, but it never took to the air. My brother built the model plane and he built it well, but it was too heavy, too heavy to fly.

When you build your own life without the help of God you will be weighted down with all sorts of problems. On the outside you may look like a man or woman of God and perhaps no one would know unless you are put in a situation where you need to "fly."

When you give your life to Jesus, He strips away all the "extra" stuff that would keep you from soaring with Him to the heavens! If your life is "to heavy" to fly with Jesus then joyfully let Him strip you of the excess baggage that keeps you from getting off of the ground.

"Lord Jesus I want to fly with You today! Help me to let go of everything that keeps me on the ground and go to the heights with You. May You be praised forever. Amen."