At the foot of the cross

I had to go out of town on business yesterday and the whole time I tried to figure out when I would do my entry. I eventually decided that I would wait until I got back home because I had a friend with me and I wouldn't be able to do my usual preparation. So that meant sleeping in before getting up to travel home.  I was prepared and rather excited about the prospect! And then at about 6:45, I woke up! Wait a minute, Lord! Come on...just one morning wouldn't have been alright? Oh well....so I began to pray and immediately I heard "at the foot of the cross." My spirit leaped and The Lord said 3 words - waiting, suffering & expectation. 

Most biblical scholars will agree that Jesus was on the cross for about 6 hours and over the course of that time so much happened. We know that there were many people watching and waiting for Jesus to die. For instance, we know there were several women there. Mary Magdalene, who faithfully followed Jesus after he delivered her, was one of them. Imagine the pain of watching your Savior slowly suffering. But she stayed and waited and waited. Have you ever had to wait on something?  Whenever you come to the foot of the cross, there has to be a commitment to the process. Waiting sometimes means being uncomfortable. It's often unfamiliar and it causes you to look to The Lord for your strength. The whole time Jesus hung on that cross, He ministered. Whether he was speaking and praying to God or forgiving the thief, He continued to be who God sent Him to be. He stayed on that cross for 6 hours for us and took the whole punishment for our peace, healing and deliverance. He was there for us. So how much more do you think He is there now in your waiting place? He knows what you face so keep waiting and trusting and looking up to a present Jesus. We're at the foot of the cross...

It's not much of a stretch to think about the suffering that was taking place on the cross. Certainly, not to downplay it but there is not much that I can think of that could be more painful than having nails hammered into your hands and feet. But as I think about those that were at the foot of the cross, I immediately think of Mary. As a mother myself, I could not imagine watching one of my children hang on the cross. My heart breaks just thinking of her crying and knowing that the end was near and not being able to do anything about it.    It's an unimaginable suffering. But even in that, Jesus is there. "When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her "Woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." (John 19:26 &27 NIV) The suffering was immense, but the presence of God was stronger. It does not matter at what place or depth of struggle and suffering you find yourself in, The Lord is present. He sees and He knows and He has the breakthrough, resource and deliverance available. He just has to speak a word. Mary was devastated but she stayed through the suffering and Jesus gave her a future. How are you handling your struggle? We're at the foot of the cross...

One of the most interesting aspects of the crucifixion for me are the Jewish leaders. They mocked Christ in a horrible way but yet they remained, essentially waiting to see what happened to him. There must have been somewhere in them that thought He might be the son of God and they were waiting to be proven right or wrong. Otherwise, it seems to me that they could have went on with their business. I mean, crucifixion was a nasty business. But yet, they expected something to happen. Even if they didn't have any sort of good intention, they added to the air of expectation that surrounded the cross. Jesus had  told the disciples that he would rise again. "He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." The idea that Jesus would be resurrected was well known, otherwise the leaders wouldn't have gone to so much trouble to have the tomb sealed. There was an expectancy of the miraculous. Even those of the faith that remained during the crucifixion, like John and Mary Magdalene, had to be hoping and praying for something to happen. But there were so few of them...My question to us is if the haters can expect Jesus to do the amazing, in spite of themselves, why can't we? We must continue to believe God for the amazing and the miraculous. We're at the foot of the cross...

God is faithful and He is present. Even in the darkest hours of the cross, even of our lives, we must commit to the waiting process, stay in spite of our suffering, and live with expectation. The cross was significant in that through Christ's suffering, we gained peace, healing, and life. But the most important thing happened 3 days later when He rose again with all power in His hands. It's time for us to get up from the foot of the cross and walk into our resurrection! 

Be blessed...AMEN

The Greatest Love of All

God is love. God is mighty. God is powerful. God is great. He’s all those things and more. And yet in all my mess, my nastiness, my attitude, and my flesh, He still loved me. And He still loved you. It doesn’t matter how many times I think about it, I am always amazed at a love like that. In His perfect love, He sent His son to die for us. This Son took an unimaginable punishment for me…for you. John 15:13 says “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” That’s love y’all.

I don’t have much to say today. God has so overwhelmed me with His love that I feel all He wants me to do is remind you of that love. This week, I was in the midst of what seemed like an unending attack. There were times I wanted to throw in the towel but EVERY time, I felt His love surround me. He used His word, He used people, He used songs but He was always there. As we prepare for Easter next Sunday, think on the ultimate love in your life. It doesn’t matter what you aren’t getting from your spouse or your children. It doesn’t matter if you are single or married. It doesn’t even matter if you are getting it from your pastor or church. If you are in relationship with God, there is an unending and unfailing supply of love. “It is patient and kind. It isn’t jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It doesn’t demand its own way. It isn’t irritable and it keeps no record of being wronged. It doesn’t rejoice about injustice and rejoices whenever the truth wins out. It never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1Cor. 13: 4-7 NLT) This love is quite simply… amazing.

I invite you today to rest in God’s love. If you can really grab hold to that, everything else in your life will start to line up because it is the foundation of everything. ”God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8 ESV) He knows who you are and were and still loves you.  That’s love y’all. Be blessed…AMEN

Living the life!

I love that we have a God that is present.  I love that He is a true and living God that knows every hair on our head and all the situations and issues that we face and still loves us. I love that He will speak just the right word to you at just the right time and do the same for me. Isn’t that amazing? He is aware of each one of us as individuals at every point in every day. He has given us this wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit, who communes with us and lives in us and speaks to us. He does all of that so isn’t it time we remember who we are? We are the much loved children of God, so let’s start living like it. 1 John 3:1 says “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him” (ESV). We don’t have to conform to the world’s standards; we just have to walk in the precious love of the Father.

You know as we journey toward Resurrection Sunday, I am always reminded of just how much God loves us. I acknowledge it all the time but around this time of year, the feeling is always heightened. I reflect on who I am and what I have done in my life and think about the fact that Jesus took on all of my stuff, my sins, my mess and paid for it. He did the same for you. So today, I challenge you to stop looking at your life like a puzzle to be solved. Instead, I encourage you to live like the child of God that you are. Have you read Romans 8 lately? If not, let me remind you what it says! We are children of God!  “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.  And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” (Rom 8:14-17 NLT) We will still have sufferings that we must face but we also share in the glory because we are His children! That’s a powerful assurance to stand on! It should make you hold your head high, put your shoulders back, and walk like the son or daughter that you are!

So often on this Christian journey, we get so caught up with the destination that we forget to travel in the joy and peace and abundance that God has promised us. We forget who we are because we’ve gotten bogged down by the things that have happened to us along the way or we are so focused on the end of a thing that we don’t acknowledge and enjoy the lessons that we gained in the middle. You remember when you were a kid and how you couldn’t wait to be grown. But now as you look back at all the amazing things you got to do growing up…all the fun you had or the lessons you learned! You realize what an adventure it was! I believe that’s what God wants for us. He wants us to live out this life with the confidence that we are loved and taken care of and therefore enjoy the journey.  Live out Proverbs 3: 5-6! “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” (NLT)

Live the life, saints! Walk this thing out with joy, peace and love. Don’t allow anyone to direct your journey but God. When you feel the pressures of this world start to bog you down, rest in Him! Let Him rejuvenate and restore you. Listen to Him tell you of His love and His care and receive it! Now THAT's living the life!

God bless! AMEN…

 

If He said it, I believe it!

Sometimes I wish I knew what God was thinking. Come on, I can’t be the only one! Haven’t you ever said out loud or to yourself, “Why is this happening, God?” Or maybe you just struggled with things going on in your life and wondered when it was going to end or why you had to face it at all. The flesh part of us wants to be in control and know how to figure everything out so that it makes sense but the truth of the matter is God doesn’t think like us. If He did, we would be in a world of trouble!  He tells us the answer himself in Isaiah 55: 8 & 9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Today, I want to challenge your faith. I want to encourage you to get to a place where if God says something, you believe it and it’s settled. God loves us so much and he wants us to be secure in knowing that what we are experiencing in our lives will serve a purpose. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer 29:11 NIV) If God said it, believe it!

The world has been so crazy lately. Children are dying horrible deaths, the economy is up and down, and sickness is all around. Even those of us who believe are going through difficult times in our lives. It seems like it’s always something that comes to distract or destroy us. But God’s Word is true. The key is knowing it and standing on it. Isaiah 55 is a great chapter in the Bible. It’s a beautiful chapter with vivid images and language. It’s both an invitation to those who are thirsty and searching and a reassurance to those that know God.  It also contains one of my most called upon and favorite scriptures, verse 11. “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (NKJV) If you didn’t read that aloud, please go back now and do so! That is a WORD, folks!! God just said that if He said it, it will do what He wants it to do and it will prosper!  The NLT version says “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” If God said it, believe it!

Trust me, I know it’s been hard. The enemy has been so busy and he is playing dirty…acting out through siblings, close friends, even spouses. But even he serves a purpose! He doesn’t even realize what he’s doing. You see all those trials and attacks that he is throwing your way are being used to push you into a deeper place of anointing and power. Nothing will cause you to seek the face of God like an attack. Though we should seek Him daily and all day, isn’t it true that when something is going on in your life, you will find your way to prayer, to your Bible, to the church?  Clearly the devil hasn’t figured that out, otherwise he might stop his tricks but my point is, “everything works for the good of them that love God and are called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) Don’t let the goings on of the world keep you from believing what God has promised you. “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Cor. 1:20 NIV) If God said it, believe it!

So today, I challenge you to walk with confidence! “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Num. 23:19 NIV) It is written time and time again in the Word to trust God. He loves you and wants to bless you. He wants you to prosper and be in good health. Don’t allow what your situation looks like cause you to turn back. If God said He was going to deliver you husband, believe Him. If He said your family would be blessed, believe Him. If God told you that you would be a mother, believe Him! But let Him work it out the way He sees fit. Remember He doesn’t think like us so His solution may not be what you would have designed for yourself but it will be the best thing for you. Trust Him! He already has the plan laid out and it will prosper!

Be blessed…AMEN!