Blog about anything you want, but please, keep it clean. :)
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Laboring in Lord
I have been working around the house, getting it ready for sale, so I haven't felt very "inspired" lately. But my friend, Jon Clayton, over at "Laboring in the Lord" has an excellent post you should read. http://laboringinthelord.com/
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Road to Emmaus
Luke 24:14-35:
Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.
And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"
Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"
And He said to them, "What things?"
So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.
But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.
When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.
And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."
Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"
And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.
But they constrained Him, saying,"Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them.
Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"
So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,
saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"
And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread."
NKJV
Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.
And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"
Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"
And He said to them, "What things?"
So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.
But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.
When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.
And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."
Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"
And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.
But they constrained Him, saying,"Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them.
Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"
So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,
saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"
And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread."
NKJV
Make it as secure as you know how...
Matthew 27:57-66 (NKJV):
Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.
This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.
When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.
And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate,
saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'
Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first."
Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."
So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.
This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.
When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.
And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate,
saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'
Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first."
Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."
So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Mankind's Greatest Sin
John 19:17-24:
And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,
where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.
Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was:
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.
Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews."'"
Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.
They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:
They divided My garments among them,And for My clothing they cast lots."
Therefore the soldiers did these things.
And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,
where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.
Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was:
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.
Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews."'"
Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.
They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:
They divided My garments among them,And for My clothing they cast lots."
Therefore the soldiers did these things.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Palm Sunday
"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4-5)NKJV
The prophet Daniel predicted the exact day that the Messiah would ride triumphantly into Jerusalem, Daniel 9:25: "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks..."
"Weeks" here are defined as 7 year periods or 483 years. Sir Robert Anderson, in his book, "The Coming Prince," documents that the fulfillment of Daniel's prophesy began with the command of Artaxerxes on March 14, 445 BC (Nehemiah 2) to Nehemiah to restore and re-build Jerusalem. And that 173,880 days later (483 years)on April 6 AD 32, Jesus Christ made His Triumphal entry Jerusalem.
God sent His Son at exactly the right time, to the very day He declared.
The prophet Daniel predicted the exact day that the Messiah would ride triumphantly into Jerusalem, Daniel 9:25: "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks..."
"Weeks" here are defined as 7 year periods or 483 years. Sir Robert Anderson, in his book, "The Coming Prince," documents that the fulfillment of Daniel's prophesy began with the command of Artaxerxes on March 14, 445 BC (Nehemiah 2) to Nehemiah to restore and re-build Jerusalem. And that 173,880 days later (483 years)on April 6 AD 32, Jesus Christ made His Triumphal entry Jerusalem.
God sent His Son at exactly the right time, to the very day He declared.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
I must tell you of a friend of mine. His name is Jonathan. When I first met him, he was a train wreck, spiritually. He was raised in a very “sober” religious environment. No, I’m not talking about alcohol. I’m talking about the kind of environment where you did not smile, laugh, clap your hands, life your hands, or generally anything of that nature.
When he first heard me talk of intimacy with God, he wondered if that was possible. After all, He was God and we, well, we were mere mortals. I liked him immediately. He has a wonderful, committed Christian wife who has been an encouragement to him and by his side for several years now. He also has two wonderful sons. One of which, I had the privilege of holding only a few hours after he was born.
Jonathan has come a long way. Watching him grow in his relationship with Jesus has been nothing short of amazing. He sat wide eyed with wonder as the Word was taught. Unknown to me at the time, he hung on every word I spoke, yet went home and “searched the Scriptures to see if these things were so.”
At times he disagreed with me. (He will laugh when he reads this because he has a particular way of being straight forward. If you didn’t know him, you would think he was being rude. But that is just his way and I love him for it). We would sit often and talk on about a wide variety of topics in the Word, and he would often say, “I need to think about that one.” And think he did. He would come back and we would talk more and more, mostly agreeing, and occasionally, disagreeing – but always agreeably.
You should of seen the look on his face when I told him (yes, I didn’t ask him) that he was speaking the following Wednesday evening. Yet giving him increasing opportunities to speak only confirmed what God has called him to do. To teach. His style is different from mine and that is fine. God wants to make men in His image, not mine. And the time came, March 2008, when we did ordain him a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I write this because I just got a letter from him. Him and his wife attended a writers conference and he was given an exercise of brainstorming for 5 minutes, then writing “to a person you respected and who made a significant impact to your life.” He chose me. He had a lot of wonderful things to say, which was a relief. You see, he has seen me at my best and my worst – yet, he has continued to choose to be my friend. And in reality, what he sees is Jesus in me, and that is the best thing a Bible Teacher and Pastor could ever hope for.
I love him like a son. You see, I never had any sons. God gave me daughters who are like 10 sons to me. But if I did have a son, I would want one like Jonathan. To me, he is my spiritual son in the faith.
God bless you, Jono. You (and your family) will always have a place in my heart…
When he first heard me talk of intimacy with God, he wondered if that was possible. After all, He was God and we, well, we were mere mortals. I liked him immediately. He has a wonderful, committed Christian wife who has been an encouragement to him and by his side for several years now. He also has two wonderful sons. One of which, I had the privilege of holding only a few hours after he was born.
Jonathan has come a long way. Watching him grow in his relationship with Jesus has been nothing short of amazing. He sat wide eyed with wonder as the Word was taught. Unknown to me at the time, he hung on every word I spoke, yet went home and “searched the Scriptures to see if these things were so.”
At times he disagreed with me. (He will laugh when he reads this because he has a particular way of being straight forward. If you didn’t know him, you would think he was being rude. But that is just his way and I love him for it). We would sit often and talk on about a wide variety of topics in the Word, and he would often say, “I need to think about that one.” And think he did. He would come back and we would talk more and more, mostly agreeing, and occasionally, disagreeing – but always agreeably.
You should of seen the look on his face when I told him (yes, I didn’t ask him) that he was speaking the following Wednesday evening. Yet giving him increasing opportunities to speak only confirmed what God has called him to do. To teach. His style is different from mine and that is fine. God wants to make men in His image, not mine. And the time came, March 2008, when we did ordain him a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I write this because I just got a letter from him. Him and his wife attended a writers conference and he was given an exercise of brainstorming for 5 minutes, then writing “to a person you respected and who made a significant impact to your life.” He chose me. He had a lot of wonderful things to say, which was a relief. You see, he has seen me at my best and my worst – yet, he has continued to choose to be my friend. And in reality, what he sees is Jesus in me, and that is the best thing a Bible Teacher and Pastor could ever hope for.
I love him like a son. You see, I never had any sons. God gave me daughters who are like 10 sons to me. But if I did have a son, I would want one like Jonathan. To me, he is my spiritual son in the faith.
God bless you, Jono. You (and your family) will always have a place in my heart…
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
“Over half a century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: ‘Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.’
Since then I have spent well-nigh fifty years working on the history of our revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some sixty million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: ‘Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.’” — Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Again, stealing thhis from my friend Jon over at http://laboringinthelord.com/
Apperantly, I have no shame...
Since then I have spent well-nigh fifty years working on the history of our revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some sixty million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: ‘Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.’” — Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Again, stealing thhis from my friend Jon over at http://laboringinthelord.com/
Apperantly, I have no shame...
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
We never should have known Christ's love in all its heights and depths if He had not died; nor could we guess the Father's deep affection if He had not given His Son to die. The common mercies we enjoy all sing of love, just as the sea-shell, when we put it to our ears, whispers of the deep sea whence it came; but if we desire to hear the ocean itself, we must not look at every-day blessings, but at the transactions of the crucifixion. He who would know love, let him retire to Calvary and see the Man of sorrows die.
Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon
Saturday, April 9, 2011
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry [them] in his bosom, [and] shall gently lead those that are with young." Isaiah 40:11
He has not forgotten you. He cares for you. He carries the young because they are not strong enough to keep up. Sometimes we walk with Him; sometimes He carries us.
He has not forgotten you. He cares for you. He carries the young because they are not strong enough to keep up. Sometimes we walk with Him; sometimes He carries us.
Friday, April 8, 2011
A word about humility from Mike MacIntosh
And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose." Mark 1:7
It's been estimated that John the Baptist preached to over 300,000 people around the area of Palestine. What an opportunity! Imagine 300,000 people coming to hear what you have to say! Our human tendency might not have been one of humility in such a situation. It would be pretty easy to say, "Yes I am doing a great job for God, aren't I?" and, "Can I sell you some of my CDs or books?" But John is humble enough to realize who he is, in light of who Jesus is.
How important it is to learn that we should always be humble people. The Bible says, "Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up" (James 4:10). When you are serving, counseling, preaching or teaching, or even listening, there should always be that underlying current of humility. John is spiritually sensitive and discerning to realize that he's in the presence of Jesus Christ, the creator of everything. And how could we be anything but humble men and women in the presence of Jesus Christ?
So imagine if you and I would start spending more time in the Bible and more time in prayer; like John, we would start to see ourselves in our proper place with Jesus Christ at the top. Instead of us thinking that we have all of the answers to everyone's problems, we'd look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). My prayer and encouragement to you is that you would enjoy being a humble servant, and that you would continue to seek the Lord and dwell in His presence.
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:6).
"The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way" (Psalm 25:9).
Mike is the Senior Pastor of Horizon Christian Fellowship, in San Diego, California. His Daily Devotional can be found at: http://www.horizonsd.org/
It's been estimated that John the Baptist preached to over 300,000 people around the area of Palestine. What an opportunity! Imagine 300,000 people coming to hear what you have to say! Our human tendency might not have been one of humility in such a situation. It would be pretty easy to say, "Yes I am doing a great job for God, aren't I?" and, "Can I sell you some of my CDs or books?" But John is humble enough to realize who he is, in light of who Jesus is.
How important it is to learn that we should always be humble people. The Bible says, "Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up" (James 4:10). When you are serving, counseling, preaching or teaching, or even listening, there should always be that underlying current of humility. John is spiritually sensitive and discerning to realize that he's in the presence of Jesus Christ, the creator of everything. And how could we be anything but humble men and women in the presence of Jesus Christ?
So imagine if you and I would start spending more time in the Bible and more time in prayer; like John, we would start to see ourselves in our proper place with Jesus Christ at the top. Instead of us thinking that we have all of the answers to everyone's problems, we'd look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). My prayer and encouragement to you is that you would enjoy being a humble servant, and that you would continue to seek the Lord and dwell in His presence.
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:6).
"The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way" (Psalm 25:9).
Mike is the Senior Pastor of Horizon Christian Fellowship, in San Diego, California. His Daily Devotional can be found at: http://www.horizonsd.org/
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
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