First Day Of Lent

"Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but “must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon.” Acts 1:1-4

In the space of three days the world radically changed never to be the same!

For several millennia patriarchs and prophets and kings and judges had sporadically followed God's will. Often it was one step forward and two steps backward. 

All that was followed by 400 years of silence when no one heard from God.

But then, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us". 

Jesus showed up on planet Earth and in the space of three years turned the world upside down. Everything that happened in those three years set the stage for the three days that would change the trajectory of time and eternity. 

Ask Luke records, Jesus was crucified on Golgotha to atone for the sins of the world. The Perfect Son of God became the sin offering for "whosoever would believe in Him" so they "would not perish but have everlasting life".

After an excruciating and shameful six hours on the cross, Jesus died. Since the Sabbath was falling they had to hurriedly take His lifeless body from the cross and to the borrowed tomb. With just enough time to clean off the blood and wrap the body in a shroud they laid Him there with intentions of coming after the Sabbath to properly prepare the body.

It was a long Sabbath of grieving as those who loved Jesus tried to cope with His death. What would this mean for them? Would they be the next ones arrested? How could this have happened to One so good and righteous? If He was the Son of God why did God allow this to happen?

Finally, on the third two ladies hurried to the tomb anxious to prepare the body but they weren't prepared for what they found! The stone was rolled away, the guards were passed out on the ground and an angel sat on the stone!

They didn't have much time to wonder what had happened because the angel announced the amazing news that the tomb was empty and Jesus was risen from the dead! Sure enough, when they looked into the tomb it was empty! Jesus was gone!

"Run and tell the disciples He has risen as He said," urged the angel! And they did!

It was a short run because on their way Jesus appeared to them!

They had seen the empty tomb and now they saw the Risen Savior! His resurrection was real! Sin had been conquered and death had died!

In a span of 72 hours history was changed! The world would never be the same!

Hope sprang out of despair!

Joy arose from sorrow!

Worship replaced worry!

He was alive and they had to tell the disciples! They had to tell everyone!

With God things can change dramatically in a short amount of time. Years of suffering and sorrow can turn to healing and happiness in no time at all. The death and resurrection of Jesus is exhibit one!

On this first day of Lent, remember, this is the season of hope! His resurrection power is at work in you!

February 13, 2018

^"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." II Corinthians 4:16-18

Have you ever seen God?

Have you ever seen a soul?

Neither have I, although I feel like I have been close as I have sat at the bedside of saints who slipped away into eternity.

Pause for a moment and think about the important truth communicated in these verses. As Christ-followers we fix our focus on developing something that we cannot see (our soul) in order to please and prepare for Someone we have never seen (our God).

No wonder faith is so important!

The challenge of living for the invisible is dealing with distractions of the visible. The truths of the eternal are obscured by the temporary troubles of life. Life is the clash of two realities - the physical and the spiritual or, the momentary and the eternal. We live in both realities but must decide which one we will live for. Faith is focusing on spiritual realities in the world of the physical.

Our physical existence is fraught with pain and suffering. All pain and suffering is allowed by God to develop our faith since it forces you to choose which reality you will permit to define your circumstance. Will you let the pain define your faith or will you, by faith, focus through your pain and see the real and eternal world? The purpose of our temporary suffering is to strengthen our faith by choosing to rest our invisible soul in the presence of an invisible God.

This truth is expressed well by the writer of Hebrews in describing the faith of Jesus during His earthly trials, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

Our soul is our escape hatch from the painful realities of the physical to the powerful realities of faith! Without our soul our pain WOULD be our reality with no hope of anything better. The invisible soul God gave us lifts us above the temporary until we arrive in the eternal.

How is your soul! Will you allow that which you have never seen to help you focus on the invisible?

February 12, 2018

"the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." Genesis 2:7

Nowadays the word "soul" is often attached to a type of food or a genre of music.

While I have no problem with either of those and like both, it is deeply troubling that our understanding of the soul is so limited and lacking.

How can you fully appreciate the significance of salvation and the demand for discipleship until you capture the concept of the soul?

You can't, so you'd better!

In yesterday's post I shared the OT word for "soul". In the New Testament, the Greek word for "soul" is transliterated as "psuche" or "psyche." We will use "psuche". This word occurs over 100 times in the New Testament. Combine the OT and NT references and you will find 850 "soul" scriptures.

Add to that number the other synonyms used in conjunction with the soul. Consider:

"Heart" is synonymous with soul and refers to the seat and source of your emotions. Your "heart"  is where you set your desires. (Luke 10:27)

"Mind" refers to the bias that forms your thoughts and your attitudes. Your "mind" includes your assumptions and your predispositions. You could say it is the "mind behind your mind."

(Colossians 3:2; Romans 12:1-2; Luke 10:27)

"Spirit" is the image of God within you. It is what gives life to your soul. It is where God desires to dwell and rule.

Your soul (heart, mind and spirit) is the core of your being and the essential you. Your soul is what forms at the instant of conception and endures eternally. The destination of your soul depends on the decisions you make during life. It is your soul that slips into eternity at the moment your body dies.

Jesus, as you would expect, posed the most poignant question in regard to the soul when He challenged, " For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul." Mark 8:36

How is it with your soul?

February 11, 2018

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.Do not be conceited." Romans 12:16

Here is a great example of harmony:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsCp5LG_zNE

The Scripture says, "Live in harmony with one another". Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could live with a harmony that was as beautiful as that? Well, that is exactly what God calls us to do! And we certainly cannot do it without the AMAZING GRACE of God!

How can this happen?

Get In Tune

Harmony is a matter of getting in tune with God! He is the Music and He is the Maestro! Until you harmonize with Him you will ever be out of tune with life, and love and hope! The inspiring music you just enjoyed happened because all the musicians got in tune with each other and the musical score.

Get Your Tone

Harmony is a matter finding your tone. Each of those lovely Irish ladies sang a separate part. One was a soprano, one was a second soprano, one was an alto, and one sang the melody. In the orchestra, each instrument has a unique sound and different notes that when played correctly blended into beautiful music.

Similarly, in the church each believer has unique gifts and talents that must be recognized, acknowledged and committed in concert with other believers in the church. When each plays his part, the church makes inspiring music for the glory of God!

Get His Timing

Every song has a time signature. For the music to work, the tune must be correct and in tone and then done together with the proper timing. The notes and the words must all be played and sung together at the same time and in the right way!

If this analogy makes sense to you, understand that it is a beautiful illustration of the Church!

Wouldn't you love for your church to make inspiring music like this? Music that inspires love! Music that inspires hope! Music that draws others to Christ!

Is your life in tune with God?

February 10, 2018

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever."  Revelation 22:1-5

Heaven is too awesome to describe!

Heaven is only accessible to disciples.

Heaven is of amazing dimensions.

Today we will learn the fourth big insight about Heaven - Heaven is an ever-after dwelling!

Finally, God will rejoice with His people in the perfectly restored Paradise He created for them. For centuries He has awaited this moment when the enemies of righteousness are destroyed and holiness rules! 

Never again will pain be felt!

Never again will tears flow!

Never again will sadness furrow a brow.

Never again will death be feared.

Never again will darkness happen.

Never again will evil be thought or done.

Never again will the curse reign over man. It will be lifted and destroyed forever!

There is a crystal river that flows with living water all the time forever!

On either bank of the river are trees continually bearing life-giving fruit! Every month it bears a different delicious fruit!

The Son will serve as the Sun and fill Heaven with a pure and perfect light - continually forever!

The Father and the Son will reign from their thrones justly and generously and powerfully forever and forever!

Every long in your heart will be satisfied forever and ever!

This can be your forever future if your name is found in the Book of Life!

Is your name in the Book of Life?

February 9, 2018

"The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life." Revelation 21:15-27

So we are finally catching a glimpse of Heaven via John's revelation as recorded in Scripture book by the same name!

It is amazing! In fact, it is too awesome to actually describe but too amazing to deny!

Heaven is only accessible to disciples of Jesus Christ who make disciples for Jesus Christ.

Today we learn that Heaven is of amazing dimensions!

While much of Heaven is described in subjective terms that stretch the imagination here John gives measurements than can be quantitatively understood. While everything else about Heaven is infinite this is the one thing that is definite!

John tells us Heaven is shaped like a cube 12,000 stadia wide, 12,000 stadia high and 12,000 stadia deep. In modern measurements that factors to 1,500 miles by 1,500 miles by 1,500 miles! That's large!

Is there a reason it is shaped like a cube?

I'm glad you asked! That is a great question! The reason it is shaped like a cube is because the area in the Tabernacle known as the Holy of Holies was shaped as a cube 15'x15'x15'! That was where the Ark of the Covenant resided and God's presence dwelt!

And in the Temple built by Solomon the Holy of Holies was also shaped as a cube!

So what does this tell us?

Another great question!

What happened in the Holy of Holies? An encounter with God's presence happened! In other words it was the place where high worship occurred!

So by revealing these dimensions John is not only revealing how huge Heaven will be but what will be going on there - WORSHIP!!! Heaven is designed to be a place where we will dwell in the presence of God enjoying communion and worship continually! Heaven will be filled with the Glory of God!

What else does this tell us about Heaven?

It testifies to the majesty of God that His presence can fill an area that vast! You can be at the center point of the cube or at any distant corner of the cube and it will make no difference in His presence!

I believe the vast dimensions of Heaven show us that God made Heaven large enough to have room for every person who ever lived. The Bible makes it plain that God was not willing any should miss Heaven and perish in Hell. I believe on the authority of Scripture that God designed Heaven to be big enough for EVERYONE! 

Tragically, not everyone will be there.

Will you?

Have you made sure your name is in the Book of Life?

February 8, 2018

"It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." Revelation 21:12-14

Yesterday I established that Heaven is too awesome to describe but it is sure fun to try! Language has its limits but the majesty of Heaven does not.

The second fact about Heaven revealed in this text is that Heaven is only accessible to disciples.

Isn't it interesting that Jesus' last words on earth were an admonition to "make disciples"? Now it has even greater significance!

Notice there are twelve gates that grant access to Heaven. At each gate stands an angel and on each gate is the name of one of Jacob's sons representing the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

How wonderful is that?

God called Abraham to be the Father of a Great Nation that He could use to call people to Himself. To become the Father of a nation he must first become a father. And eventually God kept his promise by giving Abraham and Sarah a son they named Isaac. Isaac then had Jacob and Jacob's twelve sons were the Fathers of the Twelve Tribes.

For all of eternity we will be reminded of how God sought us and opened the way for us to enter His Heaven!

And the foundations of this eternal city are the Twelve Apostles! And where did the Twelve Apostles come from? They were discipled by Jesus!

So, this glorious, gleaming and eternal city is built on the foundation of discipleship for the purpose of becoming the everlasting home of disciples who have made other disciples!

Making disciples is not only the mandate for the members of the Church of Jesus Christ but it is also the means by how each of us will ultimately arrived there!