Category: New

The ROCK on Which I Stand

“Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build My Church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the SON OF MAN will come with His angels in the Glory of His FATHER and will judge all people according to their deeds. And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the SON OF MAN coming in His Kingdom.” – Matthew 16:18‭, ‬24‭-‬28 NLT

“If you openly declare that JESUS is LORD and believe in your heart that GOD raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9 NLT

I have nothing to add to this. Read it and celebrate with me because you declare Him LORD, or read it and weep because you reject Him. “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.” – Philippians 4:11 NLT

He Isn’t Here! He Is Risen!

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb [where JESUS’ body had been buried]. Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for JESUS, Who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is Risen from the dead, just as He said would happen. Come, see where His Body was lying.” – Matthew 28:1‭, ‬5‭-‬6 NLT

What amazing words – He isn’t here! He is Risen! The priests, the very ones behind the death of our LORD, responded to the guards words that JESUS was risen by bribing the guards to say His body was stolen. They knew tbe Truth, and they rejected it.

Today, it is our responsibility, our duty as Christians, to spread this Good News of JESUS CHRIST to all the world. As Paul reminds us, take the Glory and the Beauty of today, Easter Sunday, and share the message with the world.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to GOD because of all He has done for you. Let them be a Living and Holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let GOD transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know GOD’s Will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:1‭-‬2 NLT

Listen to the Newsboys – God’s Not Dead

UP From The Grave He AROSE

“He will swallow up death forever! The SOVEREIGN LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove FOREVER all insults and mockery against His Land and [His] People. The LORD has spoken!” – Isaiah 25:8 NLT

Robert Lowry (1826-1899) captured the essence of the reason I celebrate Easter in this hymn he wrote. I remember singing it in church while growing up, and I can still see so clearly my Dad standing and singing this with his whole being. Thank you, Dad, for preaching the Gospel, and thank you, Mom, for always having his back and making his ministry possible ❤ .

Low in the grave He lay—
Jesus, my Saviour,
Waiting the coming day—
Jesus, my Lord.
Vainly they watch His bed—
Jesus, my Saviour;
Vainly they seal the dead—
Jesus, my Lord.
Death cannot keep his prey—
Jesus, my Saviour;
He tore the bars away—
Jesus, my Lord.
Up from the grave He Arose
With a Mighty Triumph o’er His foes.
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He Lives for ever with His saints to Reign.
He Arose! He Arose! Hallelujah! Christ Arose!

[And Repeat with gusto!]

The cross is empty, and most importantly, the grave is EMPTY. He Arose, He Arose, HALLELUJAH, CHRIST AROSE! Sin, you have no power over me; Satan, you can just leave! There is NO power that can separate me from my GOD. I believe in what Paul said to the church in Rome:

“And I am convinced that NOTHING can ever separate us from GOD’s Love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from GOD’s Love.” – Romans 8:38 NLT

And all the people said “AMEN!”

Betrayed

We’ve all been there. Friend, family member, spouse…. it’s a devastating thing to feel betrayed. You wonder how you can ever trust anyone, ever again. I have been betrayed many times over my life. My own body has betrayed me through a miscarriage. Consequently, I spent years subconsciously beating myself up mentally and physically. As we grow in our formative years, our bodies can betray us in disabling disease, and physical or mental limitations. We all know how badly betrayal hurts, yet we insist on doing to others – and to ourselves. Jesus tells us about betrayal:

“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed.” – Matthew 10:21 NLT

Who knows how it feels to be betrayed more than Jesus? Among His 12 best friends, men with whom He has shared everything for over 3 years, one would betray JESUS to die. He knew both when and how He would be betrayed, and who would betray Him, and continued His ministry anyway.

“After they gathered again in Galilee, JESUS told them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of His enemies.” ….. Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray JESUS….. Then He [JESUS]came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up, let’s be going. Look, My betrayer is here!” And even as JESUS said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people.” – Matthew17:22, 26:14‭-‬16‭, ‬45‭-‬47 NLT

Whatever is our betrayer, we have to acknowledge it as JESUS did, because it is only then that we can forgive…. just as JESUS did, and still does today. You see, it wasn’t just Judas who betrayed our LORD. We betray Him every day in our own lives, and we betray Him when we neglect Him. We betray Him in word and deed, and He forgives us and Loves us in spite of ourselves. Can we do any less – should we do any less for His other children?

What A Beautiful Name

JESUS.

But JESUS called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world Lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the SON OF MAN came not to be served but to serve others and to give His Life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:25‭-‬28 NLT

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I AM the Light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the Light that leads to Life.” – John 8:12 NLT

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love Me. I will protect those who trust in My Name. When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them My Salvation.” – Psalms 91:14‭-‬16 NLT

Listen to What A Beautiful Name by Hillsong Worship

Fearful? Stressed Out? Traumatized?

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord : He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.” – Psalms 91:1‭-‬16 NLT

The Essence of Prophecy

‘But wait,’ you say. ‘How do we really know who is a false prophet, and who is True? And what, exactly, do you mean by the essence of prophecy?’

First, we listen to the Word. JESUS warned us: “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” – Matthew 7:15‭-‬16 NLT

Still not clear on what to look for? It’s very simple; that is, it’s simple until the enemy, Satan, the Great Liar, gets involved. He distorts and hides the Truth so that he can take us away from the One Who Loves us, the LORD JESUS. I think you need to look for humilty, and a servant attitude. GOD’s prophets don’t self-aggrandize or boast, unless they are boasting of GOD’S power in their lives. They preach the Gospel; the entire Gospel, no picking and choosing to make the Bible suit their agenda. A True prophet is not after wealth or power or prestige or recognition. A prophet of the One True GOD has only one agenda, and that is to tell the world about JESUS, and how He came to earth to save us for all eternity. See if this passage clears it up.

“Then I [John, the Apostle] fell down at his [the messenger angel] feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of GOD, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in JESUS. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.” ” – Revelation 19:10 NLT

Do you still have questions? Pray, use your Bible; go to someone who lives life as a follower of CHRIST. Ask me. I’m not a prophet, and I don’t have all the answers – but I know where to go to get them! Plus, I’ve read the back of the Book, and I promise you that you don’t want to belittle the Creator GOD, YAHWEH, the LIGHT, EL-SHADDAI….. NAME above all names.

Listen to Cornerstone, sung by Hillsong Worship. CHRIST ALONE, Cornerstone!

Set Apart From the World

“You can be sure of this: The LORD set apart the godly for Himself. The LORD will answer when I call to Him.

Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.

Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the LORD. Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”

Let Your Face smile on us, LORD. You have given me greater Joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.

In Peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.” – Psalms 4:3‭-‬8 NLT

I know, and have known, many angry, bitter people. It controls them, and it eats away at them inside. I know this, because I was one of those people. Being angry and bitter put me on medications to stop my stomach from hurting, and heavy doses of pain killers for my migraines. Who did I hurt with my anger? Me! It kept me from being content, and caused upheaval in relationships and in work environments. I have a friend who is very angry and bitter. Trouble and discontent follow him. He claims to be a Christian, but he has no peace. He is unhappy, and ‘hate’ is one of his most used words. That was me, too, until I finally – FINALLY – figured out how much I was hurting myself, and that JESUS was patiently waiting for me to let Him have all that mess. It’s absolutely amazing how much better I am when I’m not carrying all that junk inside. Do I still get upset? Of course; I’m human, and I am very flawed and broken. I have found that when I let other’s attitudes flow around me i stead of into me, life is so much more pleasant. Your anger and your bitterness may hurt me or disappoint me, but I don’t have to take it on myself and react to it in a negative or hateful way. Sometimes I struggle, but I know that with the help and support of the Holy Spirit, I can move past it. The ‘crazy’ driver who cuts me off, the person who is rude to me, the one who calls me a ‘b**’ or other unflattering names…. It’s their problem, not mine. I can react, or I can take a breath and respond. It’s my choice, and as long as I let the LORD take the issue, it’s an easy choice. No one can make me angry without permission. Satan no longer has that hold over me! I give thanks daily to my Saviour for releasing me from my bondage of hate and bitterness, and all the ugly that goes with it.

As Christians, we are supposed to be set apart from the world. The greed and possession-hungry ‘ME’ attitude, the anger and hatred that seems to permeate the world…. it’s not for us. I admit that I enjoy my home, and having the kinds of food I like to eat; I am happy to have a vehicle that I picked out. I have done with much less, and I could again, although I would like to stay where I am. I acknowledge that I am blessed beyond measure. My prayer is to be thankful for having enough and not to be greedy, and that I not be like a stranger, a foreigner in my LORD’S eyes. I am His child, the daughter of the Most High. Don’t be like the lepers who were healed by JESUS. When He heals us of our brokenness, give Him ALL the GLORY. When I come face-to-face with my LORD, I surely don’t want Him to deny me because I refused to recognise His Power and Mercy in my life.

“Has no one returned to give Glory to GOD except this foreigner?” – Luke 17:18 NLT

Listen to Chris Tomlin sing Amazing Grace. My chains are gone; it’s right where I love to be, in the Amazing Grace of my LORD. I know I am Forever His! AMEN.

Reserve, Retreat, Regret

I’ve done that most of my life – reserving myself, staying behind the wall I constructed around my heart to keep from getting hurt. Oh, by the way, it doesn’t work. When I retreat behind my wall, all it does is keep me stuck, resentful, and angry. While I simmer in my reserve, regret for what I imagine coulda-shoulda-woulda happen overwhelms me. I am the prisoner, not whoever or whatever I happen to be upset about. I still get caught up in the cycle, too, but it’s not how I want to live my life. Billy Graham wrote a story about Bill Borden. Mr. Borden was a very wealthy man who went to China as a missionary for Christ, in spite of the opposition of friends & family. After just a few years he died of an oriental disease. While he was dying, he wrote this: “No reserve, no retreat, no regret.”

“Then He [JESUS] called the crowd to Him along with His disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.’ ” – Mark 8:34 NIV

How many of us as Christians can say the same? “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” – Galatians 5:25‭-‬26 NIV

Easier said, than done! Can we live without reserve, retreat, regret? I don’t believe it’s humanly possible to do on our own. Listen to what JESUS says about living without reserve, retreat, or regret.

“They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to GOD. I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have Peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:2‭, ‬33 NIV

Without JESUS, and without the SPIRIT, we are hopeless and helpless againt the world. With JESUS, and the SPIRIT, we can conquer. For as long as we are on this earth, our lives as Christians will never be comfortable or pain free. If they are, then I would say that we are not living the Way. As long as we have JESUS in our hearts and the Holy Spirit over us, we will at least know where we are going. I am no perfect. In fact, I am completely flawed and broken. With Christ in my life, I can’t afford to be invisible. Can we be more like Bill Borden? “No reserve, no retreat, no regret.” Amen.