Here In This Moment

Easter Or Resurrection Day
As Sunday approached this past week and we were in the midst of Holy Week I began to think about the purpose for this holiday. When we think about celebrating holidays we often do things that are representative to the events for which we are celebrating. In view of Jesus on the cross I questioned whether painting and hiding eggs was the best way to remember my savior and if this was really the activities I wanted my children to associate with the celebration to come. Approaching Good Friday I was still undecided about the activities my children would experience in rememberance of our Savior. I wanted to ensure my children knew what the holiday represented and to put in their mind the importance of the holiday. We spent the evening of Good Friday in Church worshiping and remembering our Savior Through Communion. On Saturday I had decided that nothing about painting eggs will benefit my children and will only distract for the miracle of God stepping down and becoming a man because he loves us. I decided instead to watch Son of God with my children. As Jesus carried the cross to Calvary the tears streamed don the face of my children. They were experiencing emotion connected to the actions of Jesus. It was powerful and memorable. I reminded my children that Sunday was coming and they understood what this meant. The Resurrection was the important part of history. As we engage daily with choices we must make it our goal to eliminate the choices that would distract us from the important things our savior has set before us.

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, Colosians 2:9

I can't have Jesus and not the word.
In a day and age when Jesus is not very popular but even less then Jesus, the truth of the bible is unpopular; people wavier in their knowledge of scripture. Often people who know the word of God will compromise its meaning or understanding so not to stand on the unpopular side of opinion. When I see this in public settings or broadcast in the lives of people It reminds me of Matthew 10:33-34 where Jesus describes acklnowleding or denying Jesus and in return Jesus will do the same before his father. People may be willing to acknowledge who Jesus was on earth and that he was a good person but I think Matthew 10 goes beyond this when it suggests acknowledging Jesus. To truly acknowledge Jesus we need to include the words of Jesus, this is the point where Jesus is truly known but also where people find the word of God to be unpopular. The Pharisees took the most objections to Jesus because of the words he spoke. Often the words he spoke supported his claims of deity. To know and acknowledge Jesus means to also know and acknowledge his words as truth. In John 1 the bible describes that the word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus is more than a man, Jesus is the all encompassing truth of the words he spoke and the life he led. If you deny his words, any of them, he will deny you before his father in heaven.

Jesus said to him, �I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

The Future History
I had the opportunity to watch part one of the History channel�s presentation of items contained within the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible. This Book contains much imagery and can be difficult to understand. I was reminded that often scripture is revealed to us who believe, but does not make sense to those who are not believers. I think this concept was clear in the creation of this History Channel presentation.

The presentation came across much like a horror film meant to build suspense and scare viewers. While some scripture was read by actors in the presentation it was out of context without prior information taught first and vague definitions and descriptions provided. Much of The Revelation of Jesus is presented so that we stay watchful and can remain ready for the signs of the future. The Revelation of Jesus is also meant as additional warning and encouragement to repentance as well as comfort to believers. This presentation did not in any way encourage people to seek our savior Jesus Christ. It also seemed to push false ideas that lead people into false religion which draws people away from salvation and toward damnation. The events contained in The Revelation of Jesus are history to the author of time. They will come to pass. The hope remains in Jesus that he paid a price for our sin so that we do not have to endure the wrath of separation from our God.

17Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:18

I Am/ son.

When we think of the God of the universe and we think about how powerful he is, it can leave us feeling less than nothing. How insignificant we might feel. He knows the number of stars in the sky and he calls them by name so of what importance do I hold?

This is quite the struggle when it comes to my personal relationship with God. How is it possible that I could have a relationship with him? Is it really possible that when I want to talk to God he actually hears me? The answer to these questions is yes! God is powerful enough to have a separate independent relationship with all of us. The next question I have is, what kind of relationship? Is it like boss and employee or something more appealing? The bible tells us that we are actually sons and daughters of the living God. In that context we should gain real insight into our role with regard to the relationship we have with God.

If we are sons and daughters then we should approach our God as a good Father. If you have never had a good earthly Father then think of the good father as the one who wants only what is best for us. He loves us enough to give us the things that are right but also teaches us in truth. He is also there to care for us, hear us, and love us. He is the Father we can always run to. If you stop and think about your life, actions, choices, and how your Father might perceive them it will shape your actions into ones that are acceptable to him. It�s from a place of love that we seek to obey our father, and it�s out of love that our Father desires to respond to us. Take a moment to stop and talk to your Father and seek him as a child seeks a Father and embrace the response from the greatest Father of all time here in this moment.

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. 1 John 3:1

The Heartbreak of my God!
Throughout the chronicles of the kings of the Old Testament there are identity divisions provided between the kings of Israel and kings of Judah. As the lineages are described and the succession of kings are introduced one trait is always described of each king. This trait is whether they walked in the way of God or did evil in the eyes of the lord. Based on this introductory description of each king the experiences that followed always demonstrated God favor for those who walked in his ways and folly for those who choose their own path.
Generation after generation the people in the land of Israel had the opportunity to embrace a leader who would lead them in the ways of the only true God of Israel. Unfortunately generation after generation a new king was put into place that did not pursue the heart of God. The opposite of this situation was seen in the land of Judah. A For the most part Judah had a king who was after the throne of David and attempted to walk in the ways of the lord.
I don�t think that there was ever a generation who walked in the ways of God perfectly but always with repentance when bad choices had been made. The rebellious and idol worshiping people of Israel stood as a stark contrast to the followers of the living God. They did not walk in the ways of the lord and continually took joy in idol worship. God was faithful and just with regard to both groups of people.
God was faithful to those who loved him and gave them victories in their plights and provided for their needs. To those who opposed God he was just in providing patience and then asserting judgment to those who did not choose the right. The people who walked in the way of God did not evolve the laws of Moses in an attempt to get what they wanted while trying to sneak one past the God of all. The people who followed in the ways of God did this in everything, and rose up generation after generation to do the same.
God has made a way that is correct and God knows best. Those who seek him will see him; those who oppose him will find judgment.

A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless. <http://bible.cc/proverbs/14-16.htm> Proverbs 14:16

Easter Celebration
     Many will enter into weekend celebrations with their children that include coloring of eggs and consumption of chocolate bunnies. Easter baskets will be found far and wide and Easter eggs will be scattered in various places for children to find. What will be missing in many homes will be the unashamed and truthful declaration that Christ is risen!
     As it was written before the days when Jesus of Nazareth walked the earth, Jesus came to Jerusalem, was proclaimed King of the Jews and crucified. He spent three days in a rich man�s tomb and then was resurrected and seen by thousands. His teachings continue to impact the lives of his disciples today and his promises remain true. Jesus came to fulfill the covenant made with Israel in the Old Testament. Jesus came not to condemn the world but to save it. Jesus came to give us salvation, that if it was not for his atonement on the cross then none could withstand the judgment of a righteous God. Jesus came to show love for us.
     We have an opportunity to celebrate the day our chains were removed, the day we moved from the sinner�s column to the saved column, and the day our name was written in the book of life. We should eternally be thankful for the opportunity we have been given to be forgiven. It is not by our own works that we are able to be saved. It is only by our faith in what Jesus did, that his coming and dying and living again was enough of a price to pay for the things we have done sinning against God our creator. He paid the price that we owed but could never pay. Glory be to God this weekend for sending his son so that we could enter into a relationship with our father God who loves us. He is worthy to be praised!

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, �It is finished,� and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30

Choose Love or Self
I have had this ongoing exchange with my sister where when we read news stories about people at odds with each other we say �The lines have been drawn�. When I say this I am referencing the fact that there are those who feel one way and those who feel the opposite. Commonly this is a reference to political position on topics or candidates such as pro-life and pro-choice. You will not find many people who fall on this fence on this issue. Examining these topics closer I see a major difference in the positions. One side chooses for others and the other side chooses love of self. I think at the heart of many of these issues is the choice to do as one sees is best for one�s self. People will fight for self preservation even when it is wrong or immoral. Unfortunately the number of individuals who fight for the right do as they please has grown into masses of people who are offended if someone suggests there is a code of conduct of which we should all adhere to.
It�s the people that believe in a universal code of conduct that are thinking of others as oppose to self. It is these people who love. I think history would be astonished to see a time when humans abandoned a moral expectation for all people and switched to a view where each individual develops a personal moral code.
Going back to the lines that have been drawn we see those who want to be told that whatever they think is ok is ok and on the other side there are the people who want everyone to live up to a moral code of conduct.
For those who want their own code of conduct to apply, they may not understand what is to be said next, however those who know and believe there should be a code that everyone lives up to know that only our creator can devise this code. Knowing this some may think of the Ten Commandments for which we all should base our life; however this was the old law. When Jesus came he told us that a new commandment he give to us that we should love one another. John 13:34. In all of our choices we should have love for others. Love for others means always acting on their behalf not our own. When we go back to the idea of abortion, the loving act is to act on the behalf of that child not our own which means give that child life.
Which side of the fence are you on today? Do you choose love, or self?

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. John 13:34

Who did you work for this week?
For everything you did this past week what was the focus of your week? Was it yourself or others? Did you go to work for the paycheck you would earn, or did you go to work to serve those that depend on your organization? Is that paycheck going to be spent only on your needs and wants or do you have family who need the benefit of your hard work? Loving others, which is the greatest of the commandments is making others priority. I believe that Love is continually acting on another person�s behalf. The most heart breaking stories focus on the individual that has little to no one acting on their behalf. We all need this, we all need love.

When in life we lose that person who has always acted on our behalf it can be one of the most trying times in our life. We may not necessarily always see it as love; we may call it companionship or security in another person; however the real loss is the work that was done FOR us by this person.

When we need that reminder of the continuous work being done for us we can remember that the mistake we make tomorrow was already corrected on the cross. We can remember that that loneliness or emptiness we might feel in a low moment next week was filled before time began and that we just need to embrace our father�s arms. The true and living God has already reached out, touched your life and done more work for you on your behalf then you can ever imagine. God Loves with an unceasing and unfailing attitude, always willing to do what needs to be done on your behalf.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

Eternally Unceasing
I had a conversation with my son yesterday about the eternal God after listening to some song lyrics by The David Crowder Band. The lyrics are as follows, �I can�t comprehend your infinitely beautiful and perfect love��. I started the conversation by explaining to him what the word �comprehend� means followed by explaining to him what �infinite� was. I told my son that if he kept counting he would never reach the end of numbers. Every time we think we reach an end we just add another digit. So after we got our definitions out of the way I was able to tell him that God loves him forever similar to the way I will love him forever. I am not sure to what depth my son was able to understand forever but I think he was pretty clear and confident in the idea that my love as well as Gods love will not stop. Perhaps the idea of something that won�t stop is a batter way to focus on forever.

Often our focus on forever leads us to imagery that portrays us looking out as far as we can see and never finding the end of something. If we instead focused on something that never stops we might be more inclined to view our present and past situation with regard to our Eternal God. When we think of our God that never stops loving us we can reflect on that instance in our life where we may know that we did not deserve love, but our Eternal God never stopped loving us. Or we look back to the price that was paid for us on the cross and realize that our tab was called in long ago and it was on Calvary�s hill that our price was paid and we were eternally reconciled to the God that never stops loving us. Our God never stops pursuing, intervening and loving us!

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
Isaiah 40:28

I will Thirst
Examining the plight of the Israelites after they escaped Egypt by the hand of God they cried out in complaint for food and water. It didn�t matter how bad life was in Egypt, when they were hungry all they thought about was the food they were given in Egypt. When they were thirsty they were reminded of the water they had in Egypt. They called on Moses to explain why he would take them out of Egypt just to die of starvation or of thirst.

This situation makes me think of how we can forget that God is in control. God is in control of both our present situation along with in control of the future. He knows the choices we will make; he knows the choices the people in our life will make that will affect us. He knows how to intercede in our lives so that all things are worked to his plan and his good. The thirst and the hunger God allowed the Israelites to cry out for was part of his plan. He wanted the people to turn to him when they were in need. He wanted the people to rely upon him for provision. He wanted them to know that he was their God and that they were his people. God wanted to check their commitment and demonstrate his faithfulness. God understood that freeing the people from Egypt would not be enough for the Israelites to depend on him. The immediate needs of the people continually overshadowed the past grace and faithfulness of the God who freed them from slavery.

Often in our own lives we allow our immediate circumstances to make us question God. It�s at these times when we hunger and thirst that we need to be reminded that God has a plan and that God is in control. Even when we hunger and thirst we need to be reminded of what God has already done for us. This is why Christ describes himself as the living water. He can remove our eternal thirst and cure our eternal hunger. Christ did enough for me when he died on the cross, although he promises to meet my daily needs, even if he didn�t, the cross is enough.

But he said to me, �My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.� Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

The Winning Battle
Over the past couple of years I have become sensitive to anything that talks about surrendering your life. I think of the word surrender and I think about a war and surrender being a bad thing. Surrender in that sense means to give up, to quit fighting, to lose.

With God I feel that surrender is a very different idea. I think the battle is more of a battle against God and his desire for us. When we surrender we are giving in to him which is actually the best choice. This idea of surrender is not a losing prospect it is the only way that we win. This battle has already been won it is just left to us to decide which side we want to be on. An example of this would be watching a sporting event. While watching two teams play the sport your friend suggests that he thinks one team will win and the other will lose, however you already know which team will win, so when your friend offers to buy you dinner if your team wins you agree cause you know you wont lose. In the same way we know that a life in Christ is a winning idea that will provide much more then a nice dinner.

Our God has always been in control. He has always seen the battle from both sides and has implemented the winning strategy. He fights for our souls. HE wants each of us to come to him in surrender. We become his son and daughter when we surrender to him and we are then employed to do his will and win the hearts and souls of others through his strength. God is always victorious. Choose the winning side today!

He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's.
2 Chronicles 20:15