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Resurrection Sunday
It was a borrowed tomb. In consideration of our day, Jesus did not use the tomb for very long. The place was very close to a hill they called Golgotha. It was a place where a wine press was placed in a small vineyard. The time of the Lord’s death also made it a very quick and rushed burial. Joseph begged for the body of Jesus and it was granted him. However, by the time His body was given, the sun was going down. Women came the next day to finish the burial ritual bringing spices, not knowing who might…
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Praise
The scriptural setting is hidden, yet profound. Jeroboam has rebelled against the Lord. He has surrounded Judah in front and from behind. The Bible says that Judah was being ambushed on both sides with no way out. That is when the king of Judah led them with a new strategy: they sounded the trumpets and gave a shout. 2 Chr 13:15 “…and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah.” PRAISE brought them out. Praise brought them through. Praise prevailed against the ambush and God gave the victory. It…
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River of Life
In an irrational manner, the politicians of California raced to save the delta smelt; a three inch fish, causing a domino effect of immense proportions. The species does have some struggle in that it is on the endangered list, however, there are habitats available for its growth and maturity. Unfortunately, the measures to save the smelt were so extreme that it caused a man-made drought in water flow. Environmentalists have known for at least 15 years, so too have fire departments and officials of water supplies, that the diversion of water would lead to their inability to tackle even the…
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Stay True
Judg 9:11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? Judges chapter 9 is an exercise in the failing of human government. The text above is a microcosm of what our position should be in regards to King Jesus. Shall we give up the Lord to be ruled by the elements and leaders of this world? Should we forsake the sweetness of His Spirit to be governed by fame, or money, or worldly ambition? Solomon came to realize that all that is in this…
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Simple Church
It was a church outing on a farm that I lost my way. Being the independent little boy I was, no boundary seemed sufficient to keep me close. I remember racing through the field finding berries; chasing rabbits or whatever moved in the grass. But I strayed too far from the group and the sun went down. People started making their way back while I moved farther away. Suddenly I was lost. It may not have been that far, but at 7 years old a hundred yards felt like a hundred miles. Lost. Missing. Off course or out of sight.…
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Because of Him
NLT: Due. 9:4 After the Lord your God has done this for you, don’t say in your hearts, “The Lord has given us this land because we are such good people.” Oh my! The Lord knew that blessings often distort the position of the receiver. The disposition of humility is not a given. It is a pursuit for all those who have found the Lord and are grateful for His blessing. We are blessed, not because of our goodness, ingenuity, or value, but because the Lord is faithful. The above warning still remains true: God gave because He is good.…
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Guarding My Words
Mat 12:36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. The “blame-game” may very well be the oldest in the world. Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. The reality is that each of us are accountable for ourselves. Yes, environment and upbringing should be considered, but there comes a time when we are responsible for what we do and say. Jesus addressed it in Matthew 12. The…
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Save Yourselves
Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. The text above is perplexing to say the least. It is often ignored or reworded by the modern pulpit. Churches are filled with allowances ranging…
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Love What He Loves
John 1:3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. Just lifting from the latter portion of the scripture provides all that we need to know: “without Him nothing…” I suppose we could speak of other nations, their cultural preferences and practices, but this would not answer the pressing question of our day. We might reflect on the Jewish people and their customs or the church of the last century, but this too would fall short of our need. It is interesting to me how little emphasis is given to the primaries of…
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Sojourn
“Sojourn” is not a regular word found in most of our verbiage. It’s meaning has also found a lonely place in the shadows of cultural understanding. Such is the case with much of our English language; lost in the mix of modernism. The word does carry a diverse understanding, the greater being “abiding” or “dwelling.” At first it sounds like a journey is taking place, yet in reality, the sojourner was simply a man looking for a place to settle. There was a man who sojourned in a sinful place. His name is forgettable, but his decision to “sojourn” or…