What do I mean, God is Love?

Brother, "Jason, I don't understand the love of God."
"I don't either."
Brother, "That's okay."

Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."

I might argue that Jesus did not love us, but rather He only had a respect for us stirred by admiration that caused Him to die on the cross. Respect in its nature is always upward. You might say you respect someone in a higher position, or you might say you respect someone because they had done a more honorable deed than was expected. Respect is always reserved for something better or best that you see in a person or thing. But how does the Greatest Good in all the universe have any respect for mankind? He is called perfect, while we are not. He is forever, the bible says our life is a vapor. He is good, we are evil. He is independent, we are entirely dependant on all things. This list would continue indefinitely, we are completely insignificant in the presence of God. So there would be nothing higher in us, nothing then inside worthy of the respect from God. This answer will not do.

I might also argue that God only has a love that is disconnected from us. When a soldier says that he fights for the people of his country, he does not mean this personally. By that I mean to say he perhaps dies for the people he loves, to protect their freedoms, such as freedom of religion or speech, but not for those he hates. His view of America is limited to his selected or neglected view of Americans. I say this because a man who lays down his life thinks of those worth laying his life down for, ex. friends and family. But such a man does not consider with his final breath that he is dying for the pedophiles, rapist, or serial killers. In such a way we might consider that God died for all of man kind but in a like manner it was impersonal and disconnected. But the bible says that while we were still enemies of God, He died for us. And all throughout scripture it makes mention that God searches the hearts of man. So the Bible is clear, we are perfectly and completely known by God. This answer will not do either.

Since God is all knowing, than that means he knows what I thought last night. He knows the evil in my heart. He knows the things in me that offend Him, the things that are disgusting to Him, the things that I think, feel and do that make me worthy of being called His enemy. I can justify my wrongs, ignore the guilt, even decieve myself, but I can't lie to Almighty God. And it is with this most personal knowledge of who I am that He climbed up a hill and was nailed to a cross. Why? Because God is love. God is the greatest good in all the universe. He is not better, he is the best. Nothing is above Him. And like you would expect from a good Father, He wants nothing but the absolute best for us, and He can give us nothing better than Himself. If he were to give us anything less it would not be perfect love, only compassion. But before He could give himself to us, He had to give himself for us. Had he not died, then I would remain His enemy. But as it stands, the one who hated God with his life is now considered His son. To call this anything but pure love is to do it injustice.

"For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die--but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans V:7-8

Jesus it causes me great depression to acknowledge my own hypocrisy, but i want to acknowledge it still. I confess that what i think about you and what i believe about you are often worlds apart, and my actions show it. Nothing is more brutally honest than my own reflection found in your word, and often where i find myself described is not where I'd like to be. I pray that you close that chasm and make me more like you and much much less than i find myself to be. Amen.

My Addiction (2/2)

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." They answered Him, "We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin." John VIII:31-34

Addiction = Slavery to Sin

This has been the longest uphill battle of my life, and I know it will continue to be uphill until the day I die. For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. (Romans VII:14-15) Part of me wants to sin, and partly enjoys sinning while I'm enslaved to it. But the other part... the more higher part, the Spirit that lives within me, is grieved over the sins I commit. When the Accuser steps in and has his say I am destroyed within, broken, heart achingly depressed. I HATE my sin, then I soon begin to hate myself...

"For everyone who does evil hates the Light (Jesus Christ), and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." (John III:20) I don't want to talk to Him, I don't want to see Him, read about Him or hear from Him, while at the same time I desire to run as fast as my legs can carry me and leap so hard into the arms of the only one who ever loved me enough to give Himself for me. When darkness and shame surround me, when secrecy and sin overcome me, while hiding from the Light of Glory the Spirit gets the best of me and calls me out of the depth of my depravity and says to my soul, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." (Matthew XI:28)

It is then that the truth sets me free, when I read the living truth of God spoken into my soul. He says to the unloved, "You are loved." He says to the slave, "You are free." He says to the restless, "You have rest in Me." He says to the broken hearted, "I AM near." He says to the lost, "You are found." To the forsaken He says, "I have not forsaken you." To the empty inside He says, "I know you by name, I formed you in your mothers womb." To all in need of a saviour He says, "I AM the Beginning and the End, I am all that you need, all that you have ever searched for. I AM the greatest good and I want you to have Me."

O Lord my God, ALL praise and glory be Yours! For Your love alone is faithful beyond my finite imagination and Your Love is more constant than the stars in their place. Thank You for having mercy on one so stubborn and foolish as me... Jesus... Jesus I love you!

...but Jason, aren't you just using Jesus as a crutch? No, that would be silly. He is more like a wheelchair to me. Without Him I am lame with two left feet, I can't handle sin on my own any more than I can breath under water. Am I ashamed to admit I need so great a Crutch? No. He is what I turn too when all things fall apart, He is the glue that holds me together in this madness, He is the anchor that saves me in this storm, I not only want Him, I NEED Him...

...and so do you... And you can run from Him, but you can't outrun Him. There is no place on earth that can hide you from the love He has for you. But you can keep trying, and I know you won't turn from your sin until you see that His way is the greatest way, and nothing else could ever compare.

To the brothers and sisters. Our God is a faithful God. Jesus is faithful, He will do more than we could ever imagine and He will not stop changing us until the day we are made perfect with Him in heaven. But this is never done alone, Jesus is not a disembodied head floating around the cosmos, He has a body, He named her the church. Keep in the word, stay connected with the family, Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. That's a promise, and He who is so faithful will keep His word.

Let me save you the heart ache and, "...let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us," Hebrews XII:1

My Addiction (1/2)

DISCLAIMER: The following information is unsuitable for children. If you are under the age of 18 then please resist the temptation to be disobedient by reading any further and ask your parent if it's okay first. But knowing that you will likely ignore this statement I will be careful when choosing my words.

Taber's Medical Dictionary (21st Edition) defines an addict as such,

"One who cannot control his or her need or craving for a substance or a behavior, esp. when that craving results in adverse consequences or a decline in one's ability to function effectively."

Examples of Substances: Alcohol, Heroin, Nicotine (cigarettes), methamphetamine...
Examples of Behaviors: Gambling, Gaming, Sexual Activities, Shopping, Eating...

If you had not guessed it already, I'm an addict. It would be my great pleasure to say, "I used to be an addict," or rather that, "I was never one at all". But it is as it remains, and to deny the truth is just silliness. My addiction is not to a substance but to a behavior. I have, through a series of poor decisions, cultivated a bad habit that has been hell for me to get rid of.

The seed to this habit started 19 years ago when I engaged in activities with the neighborhood boys which no child should EVER experience. Some would call it abuse, but my memory might disagree. Even though I was only 4 years old at the time, I remember quite vividly what happened. And when my sister almost caught us, it was right then that I KNEW, this was WRONG, no one had to tell me what my broken soul already knew.

It would take me another 18 years to deal with the shame and emotional trauma that day brought. Unfortunately, it was only the beginning of what would later become a sinful addiction. I did not know what purity meant, that had been taken from me long ago. Thus when the drug entered my life it was not accompanied by conviction and repentance, but pleasure and curiosity. Within a year I was caught. May grace pour over my parents for their love towards me, but they simply knew not how to deal with this issue. The slap on the wrist did not teach me to stop my compulsive behavior, it taught me to hide it (note to parents, talk with you kids).

I started going back to church when I was around 14 years old. This lead to more shame and depression then I would like to recall. Not because of the pastor, or the congregation, but because I was a sinner and I knew it. I had been living a double life or secrecy for so long, hiding in the shadows of my own addiction that I did not want to bring it to the light for healing. As a result? Repentance on Friday, worship on Sunday, sin and depression the rest of the week. I was a hypocrite, I knew it, they did not know it, but I knew it, my soul testified to it. But I did not deal with it, partly I did not know how, partly because of how people advised me to stop did not work.

Life, or the lack there of, continued this way for years. Eventually this addiction lead me into a relationship, this relationship lead be further from the Lord, I left the church, I stopped praying, I stopped reading the Bible, God was out of my life. My life centered around myself and my medication. When the relationship ending I wanted my life to end as well. I lied in my bed and cried for 6 hours, I did not sleep that night, around 500am I got out of bed, grabbed a kitchen knife and proceeded to lie down in the bathtub ready to stop the pain. I know why I did not kill my self, but His gentle hand on my life was invisible to me at that time.

But this was not the end of my sorrow, or my sin. One more heart would be crushed before I would seek help. I will spare you the detail, but needless to say, that relationship ended and I receive the blame and responsibility alone. As a result of life, once again hitting rock bottom, I signed myself into group therapy.

I've damaged many relationships along the way, some unrepairable so, ruining them even as I was ruining my own soul. The corruption that had been born pulsated in my veins like a virus and the virus spread to whoever I had contact with. It is immeasurable as to the number of people I have hurt because of this. The lies that have been told, the secrets that have been kept, the reputations that have been destroyed, the dreams that have been crushed, the hearts that have been broken. Knowing that I have lead people on, please know that my secrets were not kept to intentionally harm you or lie to you, but if I have, then please forgive me.

Dealing with the secrets I've kept, the lies I've told, the hypocrite I've been, the deception I've believed, the darkness I've embraced, the pain I've medicated, the bitterness I've dwelt on, the depression I've known, the sin I've loved, the shame I've understood, the hearts I've broken... it's not why I joined therapy, but it's what keeps me going...

To Be Continued...

New Beginning

For a while now i have been walking through the life of Jesus, and some of you have been walking with me. But its time i take this blog back to it'g begining. I once wrote about the name this blog holds, the convictions of my heart, and i feel, in light of what is happening in my life that it is time to return to upholding that name.

I have been in a group now for over a year that deals with my addictive personality (yes, im a addict, but more on that later.) About 3 months ago we, the men and I, finished a book we had been working through for about a year. At the end of this book a question is proposed to us, "what legacy will you leave behind?"

What kind of christian, man, father, husband, leader, brother, son, uncle, nephew, co-worker, manager, employee, servent (etc.) will I be? What impact am i making in peoples lives, or am I making a difference at all? I wonder what people will think of me or say about me when I die and am long gone. It's is not that I live for the praises of men, that is not what i'm getting at. What I am asking is that, what impact am I having on the men (women, children) in my life? This is a question we should all ask of ourselves.

The Lord Jesus prays to His Father asking, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." John 17:15

We as Christians are to be in this world but not of this world. It does not matter where you live (subburbs, city or country), or if you homeschool your children or not, what matters is that you are making time to live like Jesus every day in the world around you. Rightly said, "There are 5 gosples, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Jason (you). And most the world won't read the first 4."

Lord Jesus, i dont want to be anything less then all You want me to be, and i know that means to be like You. While reading Your word and studying Your truths found therein, teach me and convict me of my sin, transforming me daily more and more into Your Holy image. I don't want to waste this life living for myself, i don't want to live if that is the meaning to life. I do pray that Your light will shine in and through me in everything i do. Amen

110. A Walk With Jesus (Clearing the Temple)

For verses 12-14 i will talk about those next time.

In the meanwhile we will discuss the cleansing of the temple.

"And they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And He would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple." Mark 11:15-16
Background:

THE PASSOVER
It was holiday season for the Jews, time had arrived for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This seven-day Jewish holiday celebrates the time in the book of Exodus when the LORD passed over Israel. Preceding the feast is what is known as The Passover (Hebrew, Pesahk), celebrated on the 14th day of Nissan (Or Abib; the first month of the Jewish calender, spring-time in the northern hemisphere). This was a required holiday for all Jews, and they were not to come empty handed (Exodus 23).

"You shall say, 'It is the sacrifice of the LORD's Passover, for He passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.'" Exodus 12:27

On the days leading up to Passover thousands, if not millions of Jews would migrate or traveled from where they were living to make a sacrifice and celebrate the festivities together. The historian, Josephus, estimated this number of people to be 2,700,200 during his lifetime (War of the Jews; B6,Ch9,P3).

Once a year the Israelites were to bring a tenth of all their produce from the fields, new wine and oil, and firstborn of livestock, if they had to much to carry or the distance were too great they were allowed to sell their goods in exchange for silver, then when they arrived in Jerusalem they could buy whatever they wanted with that money and celebrate it as to the Lord. (Deut. 14:22-29)

THE MONEY CHANGERS

"Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary, half a shekel as an offering to the LORD." Exodus 30:13

The coin of the known civilized world (Roman world) was at the time (211BC-275AD)(WIKI) the Denarius, a small silver coin weighing 4.5 pounds (originally). Because this coin had the images of Roman Emperors, or false gods of worship, they were unacceptable to the Jews as for temple use. According to Bible-History.com (among other websites), the silver shekel (about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams) "designed in Tyre and minted there and in Jerusalem, was acceptable at the Temple to pay that tax, but coins from other locations were not."

THOSE WHO SOLD PIGEONS
In the biography of Luke, the author records for us a record of what Joseph and Mary did during the early years of Jesus unique to his gospel.

"When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord" Ex. 13), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons (Lev. 12)." Luke 2:22-24

After giving birth, the woman was unclean for a set time, after that time she was to sacrifice a lamb and a pigeon (or dove) to be made ceremonially clean again. If she could not afford a lamb, then two doves or two pigeons would be acceptable. Within the old testament (see Leviticus) we read this concept of being ceremonially unclean, either by means of child birth, touching a dead body, or eating unclean foods (to name a few). If unclean, then participation in temple activities or Jewish festivals was not allowed (Example: Numbers 9)

THE SCENE:
With the background covered lets take another look at what went down.

Millions of people are traveling from great distances to participate in one of the three required national holidays. For many, it has been a year since their last arrival in Jerusalem. During this time away many things have happened, some of which were the deaths of old family members and the births of new, doubtless is this that sins had been committed and atonement was needed. Because of the distance some would travel it is likely that for the first time many women would be offering their sacrifices to remove uncleanliness to participate in the festivities. This would also be the opportunity for men to pay their taxes as well as families to add their sons to the census of Israel.

The money-changers, men who would exchange the denarius or other coins for a currency accepted by the temple. With so many people in Jerusalem, and so great a need for coin-exchange, the likelihood of dishonest scales being used would be high. This would be a season for untrustworthy people to take advantage of others and rake in an extra sum for themselves. Those who recognize the need for small birds at this time of sacrifice could also take advantage and sell these birds for inflated prices.

Proverbs reminds us, that dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD (prov. 11:1). God is Truth. It is His nature that He is Honest and therefore cannot lie (Num 23:19, Titus 1:2, Heb 6:18). Jesus, being God in the flesh, came to us full of grace and full of truth (John1:14, John 14:6), representing God to us here on earth (col 1:19). For Jesus, witnessing His temple being desecrated from the inside by dishonesty and religious practices stemming from hearts that completely missed the point, was outraged and showed His righteous indignation by clearing the temple of the idolatry.

APPLICATION:
GOD IS JEALOUS FOR YOU. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Cor 6:19-20)" And if Jesus would react the way He did for a lifeless temple that He knew would be destroyed in 70 AD (mark 13:2), then how much more will He react for a temple built for eternity? Creation, Divine Patience, Redemptive History, The Triumphal Entry, The Cross, Burial And Resurrection, in one way it is all to and for the glory of God, but His glory is accomplished through His love displayed to us, through His mercy given to us, through His blood poured out for us, its all for us! That we should take part in giving Him all glory and honor and praise.

So I want to ask myself this morning, Am I glorifying God with my body? or does He need to clear His temple?

What dishonesty is in my temple?
What bitterness am i holding onto not forgiving my neighbor?
Am I being self-righteous towards those who are unsaved?
Am I judging myself to be better then others?

Jesus, I feel honored that you consider me Your temple and I only ask that you reveal to me the areas that need a clearing away in my life. Then I prey for the strength and wisdom to take my part in holiness, living for the glory and honor and praise of Your Holy name. Amen.

WIKI ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denarius

109. A Walk With Jesus (Triumphal Entry)

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.'" Mark 11:1-2

I dont want to repeat everything my John Mark had to say on this subject, you can listen to a much better message on this provided by Solid Rock at AJesusChurch.org

When an event is recorded in all four gospels it has a sort of rarity to it, this is one of those events. All four writers found this event marking the beginning of passion week to be of significant importance. According to Borg and Crossan's book, The Last Week, there were two processions that occured on the same day. From the west came the procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate, representing Rome with the power of the empire. Riding on a white horse, a symbol of military strength and conquer and his army that followed. Pilate was representing the power of the empire.

From the East, from the city of Jericho enters Jesus. In the words of the minor prophet Zechariah, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." As Jesus entered, those who were expecting the Messiah were expecting a king. Many gathered palm branches and began to wave them in the air and they paved the road before Him with the robes off their own backs, a sign of commoration to the King as seen elsewhere (2 kings 9:13). And the people cried, "Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!" Hosanna, from Psalm 118:25-29, means "save now." Their Messiah had arrived.

The hope was not the fogiveness of sins and the salvation from the righteous wrath of God against sin, but from the tyranny of Rome and their oppressors. Similar to our situation in Irag, I would not be at all happy having another country in my city telling me what to do, even the very pressence of foreign soldiers would be in reality, oppressive. And here comes Jesus, fulfilling prophecy, performing miracles, claiming to be the Messiah, unfortunately the Jews were unaware of His purpose and the necessity of His death.

Two worlds,
Pilate came from the West, Jesus from the East. Pilate on a horse, Jesus on a donkey. Pilate came with a show of force, Jesus in humility (a). Pilate came in power, Jesus came in peace. Pilate was from this world, Jesus was not of the world (b). Pilate came in oppression, Jesus came with a choice...

And the choice is this, Who will you side with? Are you going to be a part of this world, with the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (c)? Will you identify with the system and the emptiness it has to offer, or will you identify with Christ? but more importantly than any of these, will you put your trust in Him for the salvation of your soul? or will you deny Him as the Only God? There are not many gods, we are not god(s), the universe is not a god, there is but one and there is salvation in none other but Jesus Christ, the consequences of rejection are forever, will you accept the One who died in your place, or reject Him and continue down your path of destruction, He loves you - enough to had died for you - but the choice is yours.


Triumphal Entry in the Bible,
Matthew 21:1; Mark 11:1; Luke 19:28; John 12:12.

(a) Matt 11:29 (b) John 8:23 (c) 1 John 2:16

108. A Walk With Jesus (Have mercy on me)

The story of the blind men is recorded in the end of Mark 10, Luke 18 and Matthew 20. Matthew is the only author to record there being two blind men, while Luke and Mark record only one. The discrepancy here between the three authors is not the first or only of its kind, revealing that it is NOT in error but a part of the writers purpose. Other examples occur in the story of the demon possessed man, Mathew(8) records two, while once again mark(5) and Luke(8) only record one. If there were two then there was certainly one, and mark and Luke chose to focus on the one, perhaps he was the loudest or more determined of the two.

The story continues with the man (men) crying out, the Greek word used here is kékraga, this is an onomatopoeia imitating the horse cry of a raven. To cry out, entreat.

he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" vs 47

The best explanation i can find for the title "Son of David" comes from Jeremiah 23:5 when the prophet declares, "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land."

The prophets saw the future like peaks of mountains in the distance, describing what they saw and were told, they were unaware of the valleys in between, so here is a prophecy concerning the coming Messiah. Many Jews anticipated the arrival and many even thought it was Jesus Himself as we will see in the next chapter, Jesus claimed to be the Messiah (John 10:24-33) and His disciples believed it also (Mark 8:29), back to the story.

And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" vs 48

How would the church respond to a prostitute coming in to church dressed up in her work clothes, crying out, "Jesus have mercy on me!" Or what if a drunk stumbled in 10 min sober, interrupting service with, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" how would we respond?

Sadly i confess that i would be a little bit uncomfortable. I dont know if i would know what to do or how to respond at the moment. i would like to say that i would walk up to him and throw my arms around him telling him about the mercy that Jesus has for him. Have we become all too comfortable with where we are in our life? Sometimes i think i know enough biblical truth to get me in trouble, to rely on the doctrine and not the God, to have my faith in faith and not in Jesus. When life is smooth and i have the necessities i tend to lean away from the bible and sermons and rely on my own strength, creating a circular life of placing Jesus at the center, then myself, and when i screw up i place Jesus back on the throne where he belongs. What would it be like if I saw my sin for what it was; a lie, deception, a factor that hinders my relationship with God, an offense to God, a robber of my peace and joy, a spiritual inhibitor that prevents any true growth, a destroyed of my name, my testimony and my ability to evangelize and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What would happen if we took our sin seriously? If we stopped relying on our own strength, stopped thinking we were not totally depraved apart from the work of the Spirit, what if we lived lives that cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"?

Father, we pray for this awakening in our hearts, show us your will through your word, teach us to be obedient and keep us as far from temptation as possible, most of all we pray for forgiveness of sins, both known and unknown, Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen.

107. A Walk With Jesus (The Ransom)

"...and to give His life as a ransom for many." 45b.

God is Love (a). Love is a verb, an action that must be displayed or it is invalid. Love is not self-seeking (b). God so loved the people of this world that He gave His one and only Son (Jesus) (c). Jesus was not, however, a drone given away by God unto death, although He is God, Jesus was also 100% human, this gave Him free will to choose, and He chose to lay down His life and to give it as a ransom for many. God showed His love for us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (d). Not waiting for us to fix our lives or to clean up our mess, nor waiting for us to build utopia here on earth, but while we were still enemies of Himself, He gave His own life for us - and this is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (e).

The Greek word for ransom (lü'-tron) means, "the payment for redeeming or setting a prisoner or slave free." The word 'for' (än-tē') means, "in place of." If you are like me you hear the word 'ransom' and think of kid-nappers who hold their victims for ransom. That is not what is meant here. To say that, we were in need of being set free, is understood, but not from a kid-napper. Christianity is not dualistic, meaning, good and evil are not coexisting eternal forces. God and Satan are not opposites as far as equality can be considered. Satan was a fallen angel, a created being by God, and cast out of heaven by God. Does Satan have power? I suppose you could say he does, but not in the sense that his power is his own, only that what he has is granted him temporarily by our Sovereign God. Anyway, all of this is to say that Satan did not take us from God and hold us captive until a payment was made. We were born in iniquity(f), slaves to our sin (g) because we were obedient to our nature, a thing we could not change on our own.

Then the question remains, to whom then was the ransom paid? The answer; to God, in order that we would be saved from the wrath of God.

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (h)

Now i ask, do you have peace with God? if you do, REJOICE!

But if you don't, understand that you don't. He is the only way to Heaven and peace with God, will you trust that His death and resurrection have paid the price? Today is the day of salvation, don't put it off.

Thank you Jesus for all that You've done for us, for me. In all that we do, be glorified.

(a) I John 4:16
(b) I Corinthians 13:5
(c) John 3:16
(d) Romans 5:8
(e) I John 4:10
(f) Psalm 51:5
(g) Romans 6:16
(h) Romans 5:9-11

106. A Walk With Jesus (Our Example)

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve..." 45a.

Our perfect example in Servant Leadership is found in none other than Jesus Christ. I understand how easy it is to take worldly things and use them as substitutes for the Messiah. Be it material, relational or even ideological (the wisdom of man, philosophy, psychology, etc.), it is often easier to replace Jesus than it is to rely on Jesus. We can take this further and begin to worship the theology of the Christ and not Christ Himself, this is usually where religion begins and communion with God ends.

Christian, He is the image of the invisible God... all things were created through Him and for Him(a). Is He the Well from which we draw living water? Or are we relying on things that will change or be gone tomorrow? Is He our Truth? Or do we believe the stupidity of relativism? Is He our ultimate source of wisdom? Or just another good teacher...

Is God the God of the big and complicated things, or is He not also the God of the small and the mundane? Is Jesus Christ your example for teaching, parenting, loving, disciplining, being a husband or wife, a child, a witness, a student, an employee or employer, an enemy or a friend? in all areas is He your everything, your go to man -- your final word? Or does He find Himself at the end of a long list of people or things that you would rather go to first?

What role does God play in my life?

Father, You are so patient towards us. Why we still waste our time purchasing the lies of this age is beyond me. Why your word has become a book of fairy tales and bed time stories is a slap in Your face and to our shame. Jesus have Your mercy on us and forgive us the sins of idolatry in our hearts. I pray that You would become everything to those who are sincere towards You, that You would certainly be my everything. In all things, at all times, I want to walk in obedience with You. Forgetting the past, pressing on to the future, You are my hope in tomorrow. Father I don't want anything if it means I diminish our relationship in the process, remove the competition from my heart and make me fully devoted to You. Amen.

(a) Colosians 1:15-17

105. A Walk With Jesus (Servant Leaders)

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (41-42)"

The rulers of the world system exercise lordship over those who are in a lower position. We call it ambition but its greed and selfishness. They step on people on their way to the "top". They use their position to rule over others, they enjoy the power they have over others, if you could call it power. They are the nurses who find it beneath themselves to help the CNAs. The boss who is irate over a cup of coffee not made perfect. Or the manager who uses his position to seduce a naive employee. Its the rich who become snobs, the spoiled who forgot that their position is a gift to be exercised, not a power to rule.

But how often (speaking to myself) do we want to be in the position of greatness? We want to be recognised as the king of the mountain, the quarterback, the pastor, the master, the manager or boss, the nurse, the worship leader, the ones at the right and left hand of God (last blog). It is not enough to work for a company, we want to run the company. Its not enough to be a part of a team, we want to be the captain. We are told that its the popular ones, the great ones, the esteemed ones that get to rule, and so it is...

But Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (43-44)

Not so with us... not so with me. God's design for a leader is not for someone to stand up on stage and bark orders, it is to lead. Servant leaders are those able to be used by God. No matter what position they are in they are they are ready with a cheerful attitude to give their best. Not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man (a). So if you want to become great in the eyes of God, than serve Him. Obey what He has already asked you to obey in His revealed word (The Bible). Serve others as greater than yourselves and consider NO ONE beneath you. And when you are obedient to Him and faithful with the little He has given you then you will be exactly where He wants you to be.

Father, give me a desire to serve You and Your kingdom. To be great in Your eyes and not the eyes of man. I want to thank You for putting up with all the selfishness that I have lived through, thank You for the great patients You have shown me these many years. Jesus, I ask for the mindset of an audience of one. To serve You and You alone. Where ever you have me, I desire a heart of humility and servant-hood, to be shaped into the obedient leader you desire me to be. A heart after You is all i ask for ~ Amen.

(a) Ephesians 6:6-7

104. A Walk With Jesus (Our Requests)

35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." 36"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
37They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."

In Matthew 20 we read that their mother introduced the topic of conversation to Jesus, here we only read the boys talking. Both are right, each writer only recorded which key information they wanted to include. Note that Jesus is not agreeing to their future request, rather, He is asking what it is they want Him to do.

38"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"

Speaking of His death and suffering.

39"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."

James was beheaded by Herod Agrippa I, king of the Jews, in AD 44. And Tradition has it that the brother John (author of the gospel of John, Revelation and the 3 letters) died of natural causes after his return from captivity and punishment on the Island of Patmos.

Application in regards to prayers and requests.

Negatively:
The country singer sung it right when he said, "I thank God for unanswered prayers." The brothers were not requesting a favor from Jesus, neither were they humbly asking to partake in His Kingdom, rather, they were demanding to be a part of it and have it their way, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." Siblings, be careful that this is not you. We as Christians have become all too good at praying prayers in our will and then sprinkling it with Christian vocabulary and calling it good. Note, it is not the words or how you say it but the heart from which the words come. We say things like, "Lord please give me this job, but your will be done." When we are really saying, "Lord I want this job, and I want Your will to align with mine." We pray prayers very inconsistent with God's will or character (His nature if you prefer) and we end it with, "in Jesus name, Amen." Did you know that to pray in His name has nothing to do with that phrase? It means that you pray according to His name ~ His name represents all that He is and stands for. So I beseech you, before you make your "requests" known to the Lord, look into your heart and be sure you are asking for His kingdom and His will to be done and not your own.


Positively:
In light of His will, in light of His good and perfect name, pray and make your requests known ~ knowing full well that your prayers will be answered (a). Talking with God is not like wishing on a star, for what hope can superstition bring us? Since He is in existence and does indeed care for us let us cast all of our burdens on Him. We pray to God for wisdom, to handle situations as He would have us handle them. We pray to God for provision, that our needs be provided for (not necessarily our wants). We pray to God for protection, from the ruler of this age and the many ways he temps us to disobey our King. We pray to God that His name would remain holy in our lives, that we would speak of Him in reverence and love, that we would honor Him in our heart and our deeds. We pray for forgiveness, and the strength to forgive others. We pray for His will, in every facet of our lives we want to please God more than anything else and above anyone else, if it makes Him unhappy we want nothing to do with it and we pray for the strength to have nothing to do with it. There is so much more we pray for, so let your prayers be filled with praise to the God who alone saved us from our sins, and let your requests be made known to Him, desiring first of all that His kingdom come and His will be done.

103. A Walk With Jesus (Leadership)

32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, He began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33saying, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 34And they will mock Him and spit on Him, and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise."

The qualities of God's leaders are mentioned in the book of Joshua (6th in the Bible). Joshua is commanded by God to take over for Moses and lead the people of Israel into the promised land. Three times the LORD says to Joshua, "Be strong and courageous. (a)" And another time the warriors of Israel are telling their leader to, "be strong and courageous. (b)" To these remain two other qualities. That is that a leader must be obedient (c) and faithful, day and night, trusting in the LORD (d). And now we see these qualities portrayed in our Master and Commander.

Jesus had twice already told his disciples that He was going to die and rise again (e), and now a third time as we just read. Notice that He was, "walking ahead of them." Knowing His eminent death and the torture that awaited Him, He still marched on ahead. You do not even find Him among the people, He was walking before them. He was leading the charge and, "they were amazed." His courage amazed them. Later we see that as the hour approaches Jesus lives out His faithfulness to the Father's will by praying, "not My will but Yours be done (g)." As the Father is so is the Son; faithful.

He never disobeyed God His Father, He never compromised His integrity, He never lied or watered down the truth. He became obedient to death - even the death of a cross (f). Tragically, it was our disobedience that place Him there. He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed (h). He knew that the gruesome death He foretold was the result of what we had done, and He loved us the same. Praise God for the love He has shown us! To call sinners out of their sin in order that we may be considered His children. This is awesome! :)

On a side note. Often when I hear people talk about the love of God it comes across as some sort of emotionalism, that God is somehow all about "happy feelings (love) towards mankind". They replace God's nature as being both righteous and holy with a sort of love that can only be described as worthless tolerance. Love does not rejoice (tolerate) evil, but rejoices in truth (j). Yes God's love is amazing! And if you are in Christ then your sins have been forgotten never to be remembered again. But it is not because God's love ignored our sin, for that is against His nature, but it is because the wrath that was stored up in heaven against us for the crimes we had committed was pored out on Jesus Christ as He hung on that Cross. Praise be to God for such a demonstration of what the purest love looks like.

Beloved, search your heart, stop rushing in life from one fleeting pleasure to the next, sit down and consider, the question is not, "Do you know Jesus?" rather, "Are you known by Jesus?" Can you say that your sins are forgiven, that His Spirit dwells in you, that you stand forgiven readily awaiting our Leaders return? Do not be deceived as I was thinking better of myself not considering the life of sin and rebellion I had chosen. But in light of God's relentless love for you, repent of your sins and place your trust in Jesus Christ. Live as children of God.

(a) Joshua 1:6;7;9
(b) Joshua 1:18
(c) Joshua 1:7
(d) Joshua 1:8;9
(e) Mark 8:31 ; 9:31
(f) Philippians 2:8
(g) Luke 22:42
(h) Isaiah 53:5
(j) I Corinthians 13:6

102. A Walk With Jesus (The Rich pt 2)

10:23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" 24And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!

"Amazed" that their Master would say it was difficult. Wait, were not the rich those blessed by God? Did they not have more funds and more opportunity to do good for God? Were they not wealthy because of their obedience? and the poor made poor for their disobedience? We have come across these people who sum up the abundant blessings of God in things; Money, Possesions, and Health. And if you are lacking in any of these areas it is because you lack faith. Clearly this prosperity gospel is a lie out of Hell. Do not misquote me, there remains no thing or relationship on earth that is more fulfilling, more rewarding, or more life altering then that of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But He does not promise us these things, He promises us life that never dies, comfort that overcomes all obstacles, peace that transcends all understanding, joy that overflows, security that is unmatched, and hope that does not fade. All our longings and hearts desires, that we waste our time filling with 'stuff' are made complete in Christ Jesus.

25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." 26And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?"

Lord George Nugent wanted to suggest that the eye of a needle was actually a cite gate known as the Needle's eye and if a camel wanted to pass through it would need to remove its luggage and kneel through the gate. All a fine analogy but there is no record that such a gate ever existed. "exceedingly astonished" They were blown out of their mind. Based on the disciples reaction and that of Jesus it is more easily thought that the eye of a needle is literally as such. "OK Jesus we get that its difficult, but that is absolutely positively impossible! You can't mean that."

27Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God."

It is, it always has been and it always will be God who saves sinners from death. He is the author and perfecter of our faith and the One that works out our salvation in and through us. He alone is Savior. The rich man was the example but the ultimate truth is this, that no one is saved apart from the Love of Jesus Christ. It is impossible for man to save himself, but God can save any, even a rich young man, though this one chose not to be saved, it remains thus that ALL things are possible with God.

28Peter began to say to him, "See, we have left everything and followed you."
29Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.

Should you walk away from family, or friends, or a house, or a job, or anything for the sake of following after Jesus you will find a hundredfold of those things here and in Heaven. Its my opinion that Jesus was talking of the Church for that which is here. But as it is we were not created to live for a short period of time, we were designed for eternity and all pleasures here on earth are not so without their difficulties, neither could you ever walk away from the aforementioned and ever expect to be without persecution along the way. But the good and perfect things which are to come when our Lord shall return will be imperishable things, which do not rust and thief can not break in and steal, Heaven is where our treasure should be.

31But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
(This is a difficult sentence to properly explain now, so i will do my best in a later chapter as it is soon explained in parable as well as in context) Note for now, that things in the kingdom of God are always seemingly backwards to our own views of how the world should operate.

101. A Walk With Jesus (The Rich pt 1)

17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

What a scene! After, wrapping up a debate on the very important issue of divorce which preceded His rebuking, Jesus is encountered by this man. Know this, that just because someone comes to Jesus, and "falls on their knees before him," it does not mean they are truly believers. Notice the mans choice in words, "good teacher".

People come to Jesus for all sorts of different reasons on their own terms considering Him a great social reformist, or a rabbinical teacher who loved social justice, or a man who really really cared about the poor and helpless, all sort of true, but if that is the end and totality of their view of the nature of Jesus then we are greatly mistaken.

18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.

Jesus here is not eluding to any misconception that He Himself was not perfect, for as we know Jesus was tempted in every way as we are -- yet was without sin. This is more or less a clever way of asking, "Are you calling me God?" Jesus continues,

19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.' "

Do not misunderstand the message here. This is not "Salvation by Works." We know enough of the Doctrine of Grace that our salvation~ being saved from the eternal consequences of our sins while simultaneously being reconciled unto God through Christ Jesus here on earth is completely 100% a gift from God by His nature as being one of unfailing love and perfect justice. Jesus is, instead, quoting Exodus 20 where God gave His people Israel the Decalogue or The Ten Commandments. This was stated not to show the man the way to salvation but to show him his need for a savior. Now if you observe and count the commandments above you notice that Jesus only mentions 5 of the 10. Note, "do not defraud," is not one of The Ten, but is an expounding upon, "do not steal", and "do not give false testimony". More on these later,

20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21Jesus looked at him and loved him.

God in all his mercy had compassion on this young man knowing the condition of his heart, then He spoke,

"One thing you lack," He said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Two of the Ten Commandments Jesus left out were these,
1) You shall have no other gods before me.
2) You shall not covet.

While leaving our country a man was asked what he thought, he responded, "I don't like it. Where i come from gods are made of gold or silver or stone but here i cannot see your gods." Like America today the god in this mans life was his wealth, Jesus recognized that and gave him the solution to his dilemma. The solution to the question "How do i inherit eternal life?" is not to live an acetic life style or become poor, money is not good or evil, moral or immoral, it is what we do with it that matters. The answer is this, "You have sin in your life, repent of your sin and follow me."

Listen to a man who lived most his life in sin and rebellion towards God, you are ruining your life. Stop sleeping with your girlfriend or boyfriend, stop cheating and lying, quick fooling around with your eternal destiny, you are not only destroying your life not here on earth, putting death to relationships, death to peace, death to communion with God, you are and will be putting yourself to death later for eternity. Note this! God does not send people to Hell, its a real place, but HE does not send people, we send our selves, He has given us the answer, "Follow me!" and either we chose to submit and obey or we waste our lives and never understand the fullness to why we were put here in the first place. Sadly some will be like the rich man,

22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Unwilling to meet God on His terms he walked away and continued his own life, end of story. Don't let this happen to you, His grace is there, He knock on the door of your heart desiring you to answer and put your trust in Him... will you walk away?

100. A Walk With Jesus (Like Children)

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. Mark 10:13

Each of us has at some point been the victim of or seen this situation play out. Maybe dad was too busy with work on the computer asking you to leave him alone. Or perhaps mom was more concerned about her social friends than making time for her children. Adults often get so caught up in whats going on that we neglect the children, ever said or heard, "This is adult (mommy and daddy... big kid... etc.) you kids go along and play."? Jesus is in the middle of a big theological debate and people start randomly bringing him children. Their interrupting! Their being rude! They need rebuking! or so the disciples thought.

But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. 10:14-16

A child is many things, but the thing i can most connect with this passage is that a child is dependent. A child can not fend for themselves or "make it" on their own. They do not have the intelligence, or the education, or the maturity to do so even if they wanted to. A child is weak, vulnerable and completely helpless with out a parent or -like figure. In such a way we must be to enter God's kingdom. It's not OUR kingdom so its can't be done our way. It's His kingdom, He set the rules and we need to abide by them. If we come to God thinking we have something to offer we are wrong, no one is righteous not even one. And for those who most consider "good people" well the bible says that all our righteousness is like "filthy rags"... literally menstrual cloths; used tampons. Get the picture, its repulsive. There is only one who was perfect and that was Jesus Christ, if we do not trust in Him then we are hopeless and lost in our sins.

Father, i can't thank you enough for the mercy you have shown me. I am so very much aware of the bad choices i have made in my life, yet i am becoming more aware of the richness of your love and the strength that you give as i continue to see victory in my life. God i am proud to serve a Master who is greater than my short comings, a God who is bigger than me. Let me live Your way, for Your kingdom keeping my eyes fixed on the things above and not on the things on earth. Use me Father i pray, teach me and guide me like a child to desire the love of my Father and my King.

Your servant,

99. A Walk With Jesus (Divorce pt 2)

The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry." 19:10

"If the case of a man be so with his wife; if they are so closely joined together in marriage; if they are, as it were, one flesh, or one body, that a man's wife is himself: that the bond between them is so inviolable, that it is not to be dissolved, but in case of adultery; that if a separation be made by a bill of divorce, in any other case, and either party marry again, they are guilty of adultery; if a man cannot part with his wife lawfully, provided she be chaste, and is faithful to his bed, let her be what she will otherwise, though ever so disagreeable in her person, and troublesome in her behaviour; though she may be passionate, and a brawler; though she may be drunken, luxurious, and extravagant, and mind not the affairs of her family, yet if she is not an adulteress, must not be put away." ~ John Gill

Take note that the same things would apply for the woman as well who considers getting a divorce. Let's be honest here, divorce is ugly and no one walks away unscathed. Friends are effected as well as family and God forbid there be any children involved. Unfortunately its an out, a means of escape from the person we are married to now. I hear a person once say that, "I believe God wants me to be happy." How could divorce make anyone happy? Neither do i believe that God waits in heaven as some celestial mother doing whatever He can to guard us from the realities of a broken world. We are broken people in a world bent away from God, how could we expect to live a life free from sorrows?

Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given." 19:11

I personally have within myself a deep longing to have intimacy and mutual love with appreciation for each other within the confines of a marriage relationship. While at the same time i often toy with the thought of singleness, but that is a desire the Lord has not given me. I do not know much about relationships, i can tell you the right things to do and say, but i have a very bad record in personal application. My weaknesses overshadow my past and leave me where i am with a trail of broken hearts following behind me. I don't have it all together, there is much work that needs to be done here and i think now is a most excelent time to pursue that growth.

Father, i look into my heart and i am aware of the many character flaws i have, times of moral weakness and times of insufficient strength to do Your will. I do not want to walk into a marriage relationship the way i stand now, Father have Your way with me. Your good and perfect way that cleanses my wounds and heals my scars, the way that is difficult and often painful but reveals life altering results. Lead me in that way. I can not thank You enough for the mercy You show me, the mercy i do not deserve. Pour Your grace out on me, and heal the wounds i have and have caused. Rear me to be the man who will honor You and take care of one of Your daughters. Until i am ready, please put me on hold. ~ Amen

98. A Walk With Jesus (Divorce pt 1)

I`m taking this study from the more in depth version found in Matthew chapter 19.

And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?" 19:3

Two primary schools of thought existed during the time of Jesus the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel. The former believed that divorce was only acceptable on the grounds of unfaithfulness to the marriage relationship. Hillel, being more liberal, believed that anything was grounds for divorce, from over cooking a meal or simply because they found another women more attractive. Whichever way Jesus may answer could have been a loss for Him. 4 options that would be considered,

(1) No divorce ever. In this case He would be disagreeing with Moses and inconsistent in His teachings.
(2) Only for unfaithfulness. He would be siding with Shammai and therefore against the House of Hillel.
(3) For which ever reason. He would be siding with Hillel and therefore against the House of Shammai. Not to mention again all the wives who might have been listening.
Option number (4), His option...

He answered, "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." 19:4-6

Jesus answers their crafty question by referring back to the way God originally intended man to exist. Note that marriage is not an invention by man but an institute appointed by God. He designed it, it was His plan from the beginning. Also note that marriage in God's eyes has always been between one male and one female, and never in any other combination be it two males or two females or a male and many wives or a female with many husbands. Far beyond the realms of sexuality, the two are now considered, under the premise of their covenant agreement with each other, one flesh. Formally two individuals now they are one, and no piece of paper or judge can change what God has set in motion.

They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?" He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 19:7-8

Israel was a stubborn and stiff necked people. For this reason the theologians Gill and Matthew Henry suggest that Moses permitted divorce for the sake and safety of the women. Had it not been so, then perhaps the men would have continued in the mistreatment of their less then favorable spouses and perhaps even kill their very wives out of their own lust for evil. Note the contrast between the pharisees use of the word "command" and that of Jesus' "allowed." but from the beginning it was not so, God hates divorce (malachi 2:16) but to save people from committing even great atrocities Moses permitted them to leave each other.

And I say to you: "whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery." 19:9

Now, with the understanding that marriage is of God, between one male and one female for life, Jesus gives His only exception for the rule, sexual immorality. However, if for any other reason than He commits adultery for remarrying. We can brake our vows to each other, and we can have the government or a judge tell us that its okay and we are free to do whatever we want, But we are unable to withdraw ourselves from the duties that and commitments we made between and before God. In other words, even while divorced your still married, which is why any one who remarries commits adultery.

97. A Walk with Jesus (Dealing with Sin)

It has certainly been a long time since my journaling has retired, I will save you the ‘update’ pick up in the end of the chapter we left off.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Mark 9:42

An overwhelming large majority of people seem to have this view that God is a angry old man out to get us… this is malarkey, had it not been for His abundant love and mercy, all of us would receive the wages of our labors, and the wages of sin is death. Death of the conscience, death of relationships, death of the body and finally death of the soul. This is how God views sin and those who purposefully and willfully cause others to sin, it would be better for them to die… Had our Lord not also been full of grace and patient with our rebelliousness we would all have perished in our sin. I certainly would have long ago. But as it stands, you and I remain, for, and only because of the mercy He extends towards us. What’s more, He offers us a life of meaning and purpose now, a life defined by it’s quality and renewal, for though the wages of sin be death, eternal life is the gift of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

“And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 'where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'” Mark9:43-48

I do not feel qualified to speak further on this matter but what better to speak about then that which your going through. I find it necessary to give You the glory Lord. I have burnt many valuable bridges in my life and reaped the consequences of my bad choices. I see that Your way of dealing with sin is always drastic, it is perceived as fanatical and extreme but so it must be. No one understands the cost of sin better than You. As such, no one understands the necessity of radical repentance better than You. Our inability to be sinless cost You Your life and if we do not deal with our sin by extreme measures than it will cost us our lives as well.

Father, to be honest, as if to say ‘You don’t already know my heart’, I love my hands and feet and eyes. I dislike the things they make me do but they remain dear to me still. I do not like it when my feet lead me down the paths of destruction, or when my hands reach out and take hold of that which You have forbidden in Your omniscience, and I hate it when my eyes are charmed until entirely distracted from You. But I love them still for they are my own, and would rather do all that is in my power to prevent the sin without truly dealing with that which led me to it. What is the cost of integrity? Have I considered the price of a clear conscience? You are altogether good, I trust that there is no evil in You, neither be there a desire to do that which is evil. I can bank on that. I can put my life in Your hands knowing You love me with more than just a great love, it is with an unfailing love. Father help me to live this life on Your terms, to surrender the things I am reluctant to give up. Help me accept that my rights were forfeited at the cross and my life is dependent upon Your truths, not my opinions. You and I both know the areas where I am weak, but we both know that there is freedom in Your Name. Jesus, my God, I pray for freedom. Amen.

96. A Walk With Jesus (Broken Desperation)

Jesus returns with the three from their trip and they come across a crowd arguing with the other disciples. The man Jesus was about to encounter was a mess, he was desperate, willing to give up his entire social status and worth in the community for the sake of his son. He tried getting help from others, but they were of no use, he was hopeless until Jesus arrived on the scene, he tells Jesus,

"Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." 9:17-18

After Jesus rebukes the people they bring Him the boy who immediately convulses on the ground with seizure like activity, asking the father how long the child has been like this the father replies,

"From childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" 9:22

I imagine the father watching over his son every where he went,the boy wouldn't be allowed to swim, or get in a boat, or sit around the fire at night, or climb trees or high places, the father must have lived each and every day with anxiety, worried about his little boy and watching over him. Jesus recognized the hopeless tone in the fathers voice and replies,

"'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes."

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” 9:23-24

Before the miracle-hungry crowd could arrive and further humiliate the man in his situation Jesus rebukes the spirit and has pity on the man.

Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” 9:26

How long did the boy lie there motionless? The crowd did not reply with a gasp or shock, so it must have been a while, long enough to seem like eternity. What was happening with dad? He had no where else to turn, so he turns to Jesus, and now his son was lying still, was he dead? Was it all for nothing?

Application:
Have you ever prayed that prayer? Have you ever been to tears because you believed in God but you had run out of hope. The man had doubts. And if you will be honest with yourself you will say that you too have doubts. I have doubts, moments of unbelief. How could God change my situation? How could God fix what has been broken so long? Moments where I know I have made the right decision but I don't immediately see the results. What I do see is my circumstances made worse and my concerns lying lifeless on the floor. Sometimes, not always, but certainly there are times when God is answering prayers and working miracles, but all we see is a corpse. It's ok to have doubts, it's ok to acknowledge our weakness, in fact, its more than ok, it's necessary. You can't have trust with out honesty, and if we can't be honest with God, then that's a sure sign we don't truly trust Him. We can trust Him. He is faithful and always has been, I believe that. We can trust Him. Though we may cry out with tears in our eyes I know this to be true, His joy comes with the morning.

"But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up." 9:27

You see, we can trust Him. Don't give up. Don't stop praying.

Listen, "Before the Morning"

95. Moses and Jesus

Both Moses and Jesus had a passion for their people. Both were used by God to liberate Israel; Moses from physical bondage and Jesus from spiritual captivity. Moses spoke directly with God, wrote His law and prophesied about the coming Messiah. Jesus is God, fulfilled the law given to Moses, and fulfilled that which was prophesied about Messiah.

In Mark 9 we are able to draw out further similarities between the two. We pick up our walk with Jesus at The Transfiguration.

1 The Glorious Figure.
"Now after 6 days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them."
Mark 9:2-3

There was another time when something like this happened in the history of Israel, we find it in the book of Exodus. After spending 40 full days fasting form food and water while communicating with God…

"Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.” Exodus 34:29-30

2 The Shekinah Glory.

In exodus 40, Moses is commanded by God to set up the tabernacle (which would later be the blue prints for David’s Temple, built by his son Solomon, and Herod’s Temple which was destroyed in 70A.D. when Jerusalem was sacked by Emperor Titus.)

“Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Exodus 40:34

In Mark,
“Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi (honored teacher), it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles (tents), one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified.” Mark 9:5-6

Matthews account tells us that while Peter was still speaking, before he could finish his sentence…

“Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!" Mark 9:7

Before, it surrounded the tabernacle and God gave instructions to Moses, now it had surrounded the disciples and God gave an instruction to them.

Final Thoughts:
Place yourself in Peter’s shoes. You are with Jesus and two of your colleagues on top of a mountain. After a long hike you lay down to rest and end up dozing off (Luke 9:32), and you wake up to the sound of three men communicating about the departure of your teacher. Jesus no longer looks like himself, instead He is gloriously radiant and His clothes are exceedingly white, you’re terrified. What do you do? You turn back to your history. After being told that the kingdom of God is coming in power, and then waking up in the presence of God’s kingdom, would you not also think of building a tabernacle? The same thing your ancestors did last time they were in God’s presence?

Application:
“’This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!’ “All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone. Mark 9:7-8

In every moment we are always one breath closer to eternity. And as we pass from life to life we, as the disciples did, will find ourselves looking around and seeing no one except Jesus alone. But, “Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’” Now is the time for careful examination of ourselves by asking the question… Are we listening to Him?

94. A Walk With Jesus (Unashamed)

Then He called the crowd to Him along with His disciples and said: "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels."
Mark 8:34-38

As you know, it has been a while since I have written any blog concerning the things of Jesus. There are those moments when searching the scriptures that your heart comes across a passage that stops you in your tracks. This passage was one of those for me. Upon reading it I had no words to share, so i didn't. I did not feel it was appropriate to share anything i did not see as true in my own life, I see it becoming true now. Though i am still on the journey i would like to share my path with you.

Authenticity and integrity stem from a single branch, which is the will and desire to be honest and to lack superficiality.
To be authentic as defined by Random House Dictionary is this: Authentic, genuine, real, all these share the sense of actuality and lack of falsehood or misrepresentation. To be an authentic believer would then be to not misrepresent the kingdom or Jesus Christ. We all know the many ways we can do that so I won't expound negatively. Rather, positively, do we represent Jesus in character and in our conduct? Are we acting like Christians (which means "little-Christ")? Or are we sharing a cheapened, watered down gospel, one that does not demand change or sacrifice, one that never produces fruit? This calls for an authentic relationship with Him. This calls for us to be real and to give our lives for the service of His kingdom.

Integrity is such, honesty in the inner most part. The act of lying is in itself deceitful, and is often self-deceiving. We call them "little white lies" when we refer to dishonesty that is not directly damaging, and when we hurt someones feelings we say "I was just kidding." We often forget that a half truth is really a full lie. I do not believe we give integrity the full respect it deserves. I can name the times when I have acted out of dishonesty, and I can recall the times I lost the respect and trust of the one that mattered most to me. But this ought not to be the life of the Christian, we need to be people of integrity. Jesus said of Himself, "I am the way, the TRUTH and the life." And if we are to represent Jesus accurately our lives need to be ones of truth in the secret places.

This is impossible alone, and it is a journey with Christ. Integrity and authenticity do not come over night, but must be slowly worked at. It all starts in one place, submission and obedience to Christ. In His words it is the denial of ones own selfish desires and the willingness to follow and believe His ways on His terms. I met a man this weekend while eating with a dear friend, he said things about Jesus that upset me, things that were true, but misrepresented. Truths that he twisted and distorted to validate his rude behavior turning them into half-truths. My point is this, if you don't know Jesus you can't be like Jesus. At best we too will end up twisting the scripture to meet our own agendas. This is not Jesus' way, this is not the authentic Christian life we should be striving for. So brothers and sisters, be not condemned by this message if it leaves you sick in your stomach. Rather reflect on those emotions, repent and begin today walking with integrity as we learn to walk with Jesus.

93. A Walk With Jesus (Things of Men)

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Mark 8:31-32

Now before we jump the gun, attacking Peter, let us walk in Peters shoes. Peter had just told Jesus by revelation from God that he knew who Jesus was, the Christ the Son of Yahweh. And in response Jesus said He must be killed?! No! would say Peter, Heaven forbid it! They were at the peak of their ministry, they were healing the sick and raising the dead, things were happening that had never happened before, the kingdom was coming and coming soon! What was this non-sense about suffering and being killed? ... I think had we been apart of 12 we too would have thought things very similar...

But when Jesus turned and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" He said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
8:33

Not that Peter was Satan or possessed by Satan, but that his focus had been on the here, the now. Peter was not looking ahead for you or I, he was not paying attention to redemptive history, he was caught in the moment and had lost sight of what mattered.

I wonder how many times Jesus would rebuke me the same; too many more than I would like to know. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." It is there that we continue in our thoughts, consumed with the concerns of daily life? The cares of this life are great, I share in the worries and heartache of it all at times. But where is my heart when swept away by the information that addresses me in the most inconvenient of times? If it is not firmly placed in the knowledge of God than it is certainly prone to much wandering. And when my mind wanders away from the love of Christ so too will my heart; and when my heart follows, it is sure to be accompanied by my actions. How do you stop such madness? At the roots of course.

Most practically speaking, read the word of God, treating it as the words of God. Fill your mind with healthy material that will strengthen and encourage you and give you things to constantly consider. Then pray that God makes you observant to obey what you had previously read. Then we can keep our mind focused on the things of God and the things of men will slip through our fingers like unwanted dirty water.

Pray i do the same,

92. Discipline Equals Discipleship

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2

Consider for yourselves this, The Ironman Triathlon is a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike, ending with a 26 mile 385 yard run to the finish line. The athletes take months to prepare or this event, controlling their food intake and beverage consumption, maintaining their cardio on a daily basis while being sure they sleep adequately to allow their bodies rest. This takes dedication on a level boarding with insanity. This cannot be done without Discipline! Anyone deciding to run this race would be a fool to watch TV all day while drinking soda and eating potato chips, than expecting to compete and even finish!

So let me ask you this, is that how you treat your soul?

Sadly, i believe there is a time when we all treat our souls with such laziness coupled with empty enthusiasm. Lethargic and untrained, we allow ourselves to be undisciplined in the things that matter, namely the things that draw us closer to God. Where we face the biggest challenge is this; life is not predictable. Life will not warn you before your heart is left broken in pieces on the floor. Sin will not fight fairly and will always fail to mention the consequences should you be deceived. Temptation will never attack your areas of strength or wait for a time that is convenient for you. Unlike the Ironman, we are never sure when the issues of life will present themselves; for that we must always be on our guard.

It is the monotonous, everyday activities that prepare us for the extraordinary challenges that will eventually present themselves. If we wait until the challenges arise we will never be prepared. Paul said that he beat his body into submission so that when he was finished preaching, he himself would not be disqualified (a). The most influential men in my life have never been the big talkers; those who have most challenged my character have been men of disciplined life's who truly walk the walk and let their actions speak for themselves.

Do we live up to that reputation? or have we allowed ourselves to becomes complacent? If so, get up and get into the word of God.

I, therefore, urge you brothers and sisters, in the knowledge that we are, this day, a new creation in Christ; discipline yourselves in the priorities of God and run the race with perseverance.

(a) 1 Corinthians 9:27

91. Guide My Heart!

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts."
Psalm 139:23

"Lord You have my heart, and I will search for Yours"
Martin Smith

Lord You have my heart, I know this because I gave it to You. Responding to Your affectionate call I returned to You the heart You own and now hold ever so carefully in Your arms. And I will continue to search for Yours, for there is no place I would rather be. The heart is deceptive, who can know it? But You know it, I have no secrets from You, no hidden places that You have not seen, no corners that You have not searched; You know me well Lord, for that my trust is in You. Therefore that is where I long to be--the place where You are. And I will continue in my search for You until I am in the place Your love poors out. When You move I will follow You, when You stop I will rest with You, and when there is silence I will wait for You. Grant me this Lord, wisdom. Wisdom to know the difference between You and my flesh, Widom to know where You are moving and where You are not. I ask not for secret knowledge of Your doing or Your will, I ask rather for practicle wisdom to discern between right and wrong, then to act accordingly. I want to be in Your will to be blessed by You my loving Father, I want to know that what I am doing is good and pleasing to You. I know this, that when I am obedient to the things that You have already shown me (eg. The commands in The Bible) and I am walking in the power of Your Spirit, depending on You for all things, than I ought to have no concern, for than it is that I am in Your will, then it shall be that the doors open or close according to Your good plans for me. I know not what tomorrow will bring, but should it bring one thing, this I request; guard my heart and keep me from stubbling. The rest of my worries are but shadows of irrelavancy when compared to the necessary desire to serve You all the day long.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2

90. O my soul, Praise the Lord

Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.
Psalm 96:2

My Lord and my God! Be praised in the deepest areas of my soul, my inner man cries out inside me to worship You my King! Dark have been the days of my soul but You have seen me through them all. I had preached on peace that i did not know, i had spoken of grace that was no more than a word, i had proclaimed joy that was never mine, Thank you Jesus for not giving up on me! Now these words that were just words have found their place in the reality of my being and I find rest in the knowledge and love that comes from You. And who on earth could speak of Your mercy? Are there enough words in the languages of man or a single word that can grasp the depth of the compassion You have had on us; on me! For every sin, for every mistake, for every rebellion and deed i have done against the work of the cross, You have forgiven them all! My God how great is your love for us, full of compassion and abounding in mercy more than any other! Jesus, how wonderful is your faithfulness towards me, never to give up; unfailing. Had You given up on me, i dare not imagine where my heart would be now, the thought brings tears to my eyes. Yet You did not give up, though i so obviously deserved rejection, i deserved ridicule and disgrace but You showed love in place of hatred, mercy in place of wrath, redemption in place of condemnation. Jesus my love, don't stop! continue what you are doing within my heart, let me follow and love you all the days of my life, until my final breath and i pass from this life into prefect eternity, forever near You my God.

O my soul, Praise the Lord.

89. A Walk With Jesus (Who am I?)

Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, "Who do people say that I am?" They told Him, saying, "John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets."

And He continued by questioning them, "But who do you say that I am?"

Mark 8:27-29

A question of much relevance to us today, and probably one of, if not they most important question asked. "Who do you say that I am?" America today has many views and thoughts about who this Jesus is, some say He was just a Jewish Rabbi; or one of many great moral philosophers; or perhaps even a social reformist; or even a well meaning philanthropist that taught about love and peace and cared for the needy. These are all correct, some to a greater extent than others but all have some truth to them. HOWEVER, none of them contain the whole truth of the Person of Jesus.

Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."(a)

Jesus was not a god, as if there are many, He is the Son; fully God and fully man; God in bodily form. He claimed to be God, He did the things that only God does (ex, forgive sins, received worship), He was and is God with us. But this we know, so what am i getting at?

What you believe will inevitably dictate your actions.
When you say He was just another person, regardless of title, than everything He ever said or demanded from us (which will be discussed in the next blog) is up for interpretation and selective hearing. In other words, if you believe He was anything less than God than I expect you live like He is everything less than God.

I want to take this deeper for those of us who have accepted the truth. Repeat Jesus' question to yourself, now before you jump quickly to give a Sunday school answer i want you to contemplate the condition of your heart, consider your life, actions, motives, everything. Now, answer the question by the perspective of someone else, would an outsider look at you and say "He/She believes Jesus is God, their is evidence in the way they live"?

Faith without deeds is dead (b), to only have head knowledge of the life or teachings of Jesus is not enough. Our beliefs dictate or actions. What are your actions telling you about what you truly believe? If we are not living up to the claims we make, than it is time to take a moment by your self with God, repent of the sin you have been harboring and begin today to live in the grace and forgiveness that God has in store for us. Today is the day to repent and change, talk is cheap, so let others see or faith by what we do.

(a) Matthew 16:16
(b) James 2:26

88. A Walk With Jesus (Restoration)

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village." Mark 8:22-26

One thing I see here is what I consider to be an attribute of God's character once again beautifully personified in Jesus. Our Lord is in the business of Restoration. When a unrepairable marriage is restored, when divorced couples reunite, when broken hearts are mended... Jesus is near. When victims forgive the unforgivable, when an addict is rescued from his addiction, when a sinner repents and loves the Lord... Jesus is near.

Knowing this, that the grace of God extends to all mankind who are willing to accept His offer, i would like to draw some simply conclusions for the rest of us.

Do Not Hinder the Restoration of Others!
Father, when someone I know has been struggling with sin and is in the process of being restored, than let me be careful not to stand in the way of Your work. Time does nothing for the healing and restoration of ones soul. Time does not heal all wounds; You, Jesus heal all wounds, and You take time. Let me remember that my healing has been a journey and not a sprint, knowing that You have been so patient to restore and heal my soul; may i also bear such long suffering, supplemented by prayer, for the healing of the other's. Not beating them down, or criticizing them for their past mistakes, knowing that love keeps no record of wrongs and You remember my sins no more, help me than also to remember the sins of others no more.

Do Not Hinder Your Own Restoration!
Jesus, I am amazed at the length by which You have shown me mercy and continue to show me mercy still. Your love towards each of us is outrageously persistent to the degree that we rightfully praise You saying Your love is unfailing. All that is within me is nearly irritated by my desire to be like You and nothing like who i am. Yet when i chose to sin against You, and i chose to buy into the lies and deceit, then i feel that i am hindering Your process. Whenever I allow my pride to seep in through the walls that protect my heart and sin against you, I actively remove myself from Your will in my life and fulfill the desires of my flesh. Your will is my sanctification! As i read Your word and i find myself more and more dependent on Your strength to get me through this day, i pray that you would remind the spirit within me to yield to Your will and to humbly accet all that You have commanded me to do; than i pray for the strength to be obedient and to love You with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength.

87. A Walk With Jesus (Sign Seekers)

He got into the boat with His disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha. The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test Him, they asked Him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." Then He left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

Mark 8:10-13

As when a loving father sighs in disappointment of his children's behavior, likewise Jesus here sighed deeply in consideration of His children's question. He had shown them miracles, He had already healed and taught in their presence, but it was not enough, their hearts were hardened by their pride and they were simply unwilling to believe. Then He left them. This is what will happen to those who do not follow after Him and believe. This is the result of those who seek after spiritual mysticism, of those who want God to prove His existence, and otherwise refuse to believe; they will find no place in the presence of God, except to be judged for their disbelief.

In Matthew's account Jesus finishes with this before He leaves, "A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. (a)" The sign of Jonah was this, Jonah spent 3 days and nights in the belly of a giant fish, in a resemblance Jesus would spend 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the earth before He would rise again. Look around you and see the universe, look inside you and see the miracle of life, look about you and notice the order of the everything in existence, it all demands a Creator; This we call God. And only one God has made predictions that came true exactly as foretold, only one God has performed miracles, only one has risen from the dead, there is none other but He, and His majesty demands our obedience.

My Lord, forgive me of not kneeling before Your Kingship and worshiping You as You deserve. Please teach me Your ways, I want to be guided and instructed in Your wisdom to live under the compassionate care of You love O God. I have wanted and tried to force my hand so many times and it has left me empty inside, i want it no more. I am Yours Jesus, discipline Your beloved and create in me a new, fleshly heart, that honors and loves Your Name. May You be feared all the days of my life.

Thank You for being so gracious towards me, I have never known such faithfulness as this before.

(a) Matthew 16:4