"Our Loving Father"

 "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20:17 KJV)

  "But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Now you are no longer a slave, but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir." (Galatians 4:4-7 NLT)

 There is so much to see here, it could take a little while to get this all figured out! Obviously, Mary was ready to embrace Him, as if He was back, much as it was for Lazarus, the one Jesus had brought back to life. This was a whole different kind of resurrection! He was risen to die no more, unlike Lazarus, who He called forth from that tomb, but only to die again, when his time would come! 

 Paul makes this point, saying, "So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone, a new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NLT) Jesus Christ was the first of the Resurrection! (1 Corinthians 15:20-28) 

 Additionally, we have changed our location! Once we were subject to the death, looking towards the grave as our resting place; but now, we look towards heaven to be the place we go to when this body takes its last breath upon this earth! Upon the special time, we will be reunited with a new body, one that does not decay or grow old, one that is eternal, which does not die or decay! 

 You must believe that; no matter how much you might get discouraged and want to challenge to things you have learned, you must not waiver or feel as though you doubt it to be true! What a terrible life to live, if this life is all that there is! Cast all your cares on Him, letting the love of our Father show you what you need, what you long for, and the powerful sacrifice He made for you to have it! 

 Another aspect of what we can see here, is the Man! O man, O man! Yes, Jesus was Emanuel, God with us; but He was born as a man, to be subject to the law, meaning, death! If you step in front of a train, you die; that is the law of death! If you try to fly off of a thousand-foot cliff, you die; that is the law of death! The death that Jesus suffered was real death, as much as you and I will die, He died also! 

 I will hold that thought for a moment, just to let it sink in. (Pause!) Okay, that is time enough. We share with Him something that He came to fulfill, death! The eternal God, who cannot die, took on death, that we might live eternally...

"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:17-21 NLT)  

"Astounding Love!"

 "Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master." (John 20:16 KJV)

  "But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you."" (Isaiah 43:1-2 NLT)

 Yes, God replaced Elijah; but then He took him up into heaven! If you are God's, you will always be His; He does not throw away those that He has chosen! I know that there will be those who might not accept that statement, because they will say that if you aren't perfecting your life, then you don't deserve to be part of God's Kingdom. Well, none of us are perfect! And, whether you can accept it or not, none of us will be perfect until we are free from this body of sin! 

 With that, I want to cast the attention to this, "Rabboni", which is the word Mary exclaimed from her heart, as she was astounded and shocked to realize that Jesus was who she was speaking to. It might not be ground-breaking, but it is important to understand that she had a heart for Jesus! This word is only really found twice, if you can say it; but technically, it is only found in this form from Mary. 

 There is another reference, shown in Mark 10:51; as the NLT has a blind man exclaiming, "My rabbi, I want to see!" Basically, this is a little higher than saying, "Lord," or "Master," because it is made into something more personal, as if we were to say, "My Lord", or "My Master". In other words, Mary is exclaiming what was deep within her heart; as if the One standing before her, owned her, created her, and will never let go of her! 

 I really don't know how else to say that, because it is a personal thing, something that is kept in our heart, regardless of the difficulty or the challenges we might face, we never forget: He died for me! Everything He went through, the beating, the humiliation, the agonizing death on the cross, it was to show me how far He would go, just to make me perfect in the eyes of the Father! 

 Yes, I might not be perfect in this world, but I am perfect in the Kingdom of God...

"[Young Woman] I am the spring crocus blooming on the Sharon Plain, the lily of the valley. [Young Man] Like a lily among thistles is my darling young woman. [Young Woman] Like the finest apple tree in the orchard is my lover among other young men. I sit in his delightful shade and taste his delicious fruit. He escorts me to the banquet hall; it's obvious how much he loves me." (SONG OF SONGS 2:1-4 NLT)   

"Say It Again!"

 "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away." (John 20:15 KJV)

  "There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the LORD said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Elijah replied, "I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your alters, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."" (1 Kings 19:9-10 NLT)

 Here is the part where we see the reason, I believe, Mary understood and believed, previously, that Jesus would rise again from the dead; because He knew she had believed, and now is asking her, as did the angels, "Woman, why weepest thou?" Additionally, He adds, "Whom seekest thou?" which is a lot like He says to those two men walking down the road, talking about all that happened in Jerusalem: "What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?" (Luke 24:17)

 I'm really sorry if I am beating a dead horse, but it is amazingly strange how easy it is to forget, God can do mighty and powerful things, beyond anything we could ever imagine! Somehow, we feel as though the source of our strength is within us, as if, when we are weak and feel abandoned, the gig is up! As if we have been doing what we thought God wants, but because it is getting opposition and resistance, it must have not been God's plan, at all!  

 Currently, I am reading the Book of Acts to my wife. I you are familiar with the Book, then you should recall how much opposition the church experienced when it first started. Peter and John were thrown in jail for preaching about Jesus; yet they were released from jail by an angel, and back inside the Temple, preaching again. Then arrested again, and then flogged, and let go; with the order to not preach or speak about Jesus again. Did that stop them? No! 

 Think about how many times you did not share Jesus, for sake of offending someone, or just to be quiet, as if you didn't want to a fish out of water. If you don't have any of those memories, good for you; you are better than most! Paul is the greatest example of living bold and not holding back. If it helps, it most likely is because he had been shown, more than once, that he would suffer many things for the sake of preaching the Gospel. When you have accepted the fact that it will hurt, getting hurt isn't really the problem! 

 Hurt comes in all sorts of different ways, some physically, some emotionally; some, is just your pride or your chance of being out of work or losing a friendship or relationship! Everything we think will a walk-in-the-park, as soon as it gets hard or challenged, we think it was a mistake, or that God has closed the door. Maybe He just wants you to trust Him, especially when it doesn't seem possible! 

 When we start giving up on believing the impossible, we give up on God; that is never going to turn out well...

"And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He replied again, "I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." Then the LORD told him, "Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!"" (1 Kings 19:12-18 NLT) 

"Worth Repeating!"

 "And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus." (John 20:14 KJV)

  "[Young Woman] One night as I lay in bed, I yearned for my lover. I yearned for him, but he did not come. So I said to myself, "I will get up and roam the city, searching in all its streets and squares. I will search for the one I love." So I searched everywhere but did not find him. The watchmen stopped me as they made their rounds, and I asked, "Have you seen the one I love?" Then scarcely had I left them when I found my love! I caught him and held him tightly, then I brought him to my mother's bed, where I had been conceived. Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and wild deer, not to awaken love until the time is right." (SONG OF SONGS 3:1-5 NLT)

 Let's step back for a moment and gather our thoughts. First of all, Mary was someone that had understood and believed what Jesus said about rising 3 days and being killed; so, the problem is not what she knew, but was based upon what she felt. Feelings can cause us to do and react to things, sometimes without even thinking or considering what might actually be happening around us. Our emotions can sometimes get the best of us, and usually not in a good or productive way.

 Secondly, what the heck just happened! Was this a Balam moment, where she really didn't care about the angels, thinking more about the travesty she was feeling in her heart? Like Balam, who spoke back to his donkey, as if he was engaged in an argument with a regular human, just because his emotions were what was guiding him, not common sense! 

 If she could just take a moment a pray for peace, if nothing else, that God would calm down her racing heart, to allow her to reconnect with what was right before her! I know that might sound like some kind of thing that requires an explanation or an intervention; but sometimes we just need to stop and pray, letting God show us a whole different side of what we might think is going on.

 Yesterday I heard a brief message from Pastor Jack; and without going into great details, I will just get right to the point of his massage. The cancer that several people he knew had, was the vessel used to bring them to Christ! Billy Graham couldn't do it, but cancer did! 

 We struggle in this life to find the reason that God allows certain people to suffer, but God's work is not about healing people from their disease or circumstance; His work is to get people to be made whole, by being reconciled to Him, not to be given more time on this earth. This earth will soon pass, as will so many of those around us; but the real thing to be concerned about is saving souls! 

 Thirdly, why are we weeping over things which we do not understand! I mean, I get that we see the hurt and want relief for our loss; but the feelings of remorse or the discomfort will do nothing to change what we are sad or torn about. But we can change our perspective and start looking for the good things that God is doing, even if we still cannot see them, there is always hope! 

 That is what faith is all about: Believing that God will work everything out, even when it looks like everything is lost! God is more than able to make anything from nothing! Which reminds me of another message I heard yesterday, based upon another twist about Abraham getting ready to sacrifice his son, Isaac. The point we have always believed, is that Abraham knew God could bring his son back to life, if it came to him being killed on that altar. But in this message, the point was about Isaac, that he was taught and believed that God could bring him back to life, therefore he did not fight off his father. 

 Stranger things might happen, but when God is the one who makes the rules, His rules cannot be broken! I hope that might shine a little light on whatever darkness surrounds you; because we who have hope, should never need to think that things are hopeless... 

"Several days later and man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took Paul's belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit declares, 'So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.' " When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But he said, "Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus." When it was clear that we couldn't persuade him, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."" (Acts 21:10-14 NLT) 

"The Message!"

 "And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him." (John 20:13 KJV)

  "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7 NLT)

  Fear - "False Evidence Appearing Real." How often we struggle needlessly, as if we have the world crashing in around us, while in reality, we really are not all that attached to this world! Not that it really matters, but the things that should matter most, should be what people around us see in us: Because they need to see the love of Jesus! 

 I have thought about this more and more lately; because the more I plan to make myself be a vessel that shines the light of Jesus, the more I seem to mess up, putting myself first, forgetting the face I saw before in the mirror! That might sound as if I have some issues, (You Think!), but before you judge what it is that I am going through, ask yourself what you would do if you had a chance to walk in my shoes. 

 That is not an excuse, because I know what the Lord expects from me, I just fall short sometimes in being that man; because the man within this flesh still gets offended and can be unloving! The movie "Luther," which starred Stacy Keach, is a really good example of some of the things I am talking about. We just need to take our minds off the bad and start focusing on the good! 

 Don't think bad thoughts about anything! Jay Carty's book "Counter Attack", was one of my favorites, as he shard about 'ripping lips,' as if the biggest problem he had was dealing with anger. In his book he illustrated a Polar Bear, as the thing that might set us off; whatever your thing might be, whether it is that second glance, a short fuss, or a practice of judging before thinking. 

 When the Polar Bear might show up, there is the "Polar Bear Alert!" For several years I had put it into practice, and it really seemed to work. But it can be anything you want, as long as it is Scripture! What is your favorite Scripture? If it causes you to focus on the Lord, taking your mind off of something that is wrong, unloving, or sinful, then have that Scripture ready in your heart, to get right and do right! 

 Anywho, who am I to say what works: I'm still a work in progress, and every time I think I have it all together, I find myself falling apart...

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me - everything you heard from me or saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn't have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing, or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:8-13 NLT) 

"The Messengers"

 "And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain." (John 20:12 KJV)

  "The LORD appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground." (Genesis 18:1-2 NLT)

 If you are familiar with this portion of Scripture from Genesis, then you might recall the three men that are shown above, as one of them is the Lord, who says, "I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!" While the other two and angels, which would head off to Sodom, after the Lord and Abraham had settled on ten righteous people in Sodom being what might spare the city from being destroyed.  

 I'm not saying these are the same two angels, sitting in the tomb; but I am saying that angels are able to manifest themselves in different forms; dressed in white, or dressed as you and I. They can even partake in a meal or have a drink of water; appear to be totally and completely mortal, yet go from here, to wherever they came, in just a flash; just like that, they disappear and appear, as easy as the wind. 

 You can believe whatever you want, but I am certain that there are angels all around us; some of which are manifested to appear just like you and me. Dogs are really good at detecting them, this much I know for sure. I had one instance in Palo Cedro, back in the 90's, as I was walking my dog at 4am in the morning. We were walking close to the elementary school, when he stopped, as if he had no desire to go any further.

 As I heard a noise, which sounded a lot like those large sprinklers that water the fields during the night, and as I dragged my dog along, I saw what looked like a very tall man running from goal post to goal post, while his jacket was making that sound as to fluttered behind him, as he ran. I tried to share that story with some close friends, but it didn't get accepted very well. 

 Now, imagine how Mary might have felt, as it was pretty obvious to her that these were angels. Just so you know, there are things all around us, we cannot see, unless we are allowed to see them; otherwise, they are just parts on the unseen world, which is spoken about all over in the Bible! Believe it or not, it is true...

"Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!" (Hebrews 13:1-2 NLT) 

 

"Did You Know"

 "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre," (John 20:11 KJV)

  "[Young Woman] I went down to the grove of walnut trees out of the valley to see the new spring growth, to see whether the grapevines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom. Before I realized it, my strong desire had taken me to the chariot of a noble man." (SONG OF SONGS 6:11-12 NLT)

 Yesterday morning, after having finished the posting of that very short, but stunning post, I received a message from a brother at church, which illustrated the life of, "Bummer Lambs." As I tried to read it, my eyes still teared up from the recent post, I began to think about the sadness I felt regarding my own life; how I sometimes feel as though I am stuck in some sort of a trial that never ends. 

 After weeping over my thoughts, I was suddenly drawn towards something I remembered from the last message I gave, regarding Ruth. It was on Mother's Day of 2017, which was meant to be somewhat of a puff-piece, that was going to be titled "Meet David's Great-Grandparents", but instead, it became, "Meet Redemption!" 

 Interestingly enough, the part that hit me the most was Naomi's heart when she arrived in Bethlehem, accompanied with her daughter-in-law, Ruth. As she entered the town, she was greeted by the entire town, and some women greeted her, asking, "Is it really Naomi?" To which she replied. "Don't call me Naomi," she responded. "Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?" 

 This might not make much sense, (as if that really matters,) but I have felt something very similar to this exact illustration of Mary, in the exact moment! Just a glance at life, as if frozen in time for an instant, in the middle of a total breakdown, there is a special moment when I have looked into the situation, seemingly as if there is a whole other picture; something that is obscure, but very real, and very hard to understand! 

 As I worked on the message, that morning of May 14th, 2017, I witnessed the face of Ruth, as she stood beside Naomi, like a faithful daughter that cared for her dearly, who had to wonder what was meant by, "Empty." Her new life was not empty! The burden she bore, if that was her feeling, was what was going to give her life! She just didn't know it, neither could she see it! 

 I don't know what you might be going through, or how hard you might think your life is, tragedy or not, but God loves you! His thoughts for you are not about tragedy and hardship, but about you knowing the love that overcomes every circumstance and every situation! This life is way too short and fragile to not take advantage of the opportunities God gives us to shine in our darkest moments. 

 When it seems as though all is lost, those are the moments we can see Jesus the clearest, we just need to want to see Him the most! Merry Christmas...

"When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:11-13 NLT)  

"Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene"

  "Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. "Dear woman, why are you crying?" the angels asked her. 

 "Because they have taken away my Lord," she replied, "and I don't where they have put him." 

 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him. "Dear woman, why are you crying?" Jesus asked her. "Who are you looking for?" 

 She thought he was the gardener. "Sir," she said, "if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him."

 "Mary!" Jesus said. 

 She turned to him and cried out, "Rabboni!" (which is Hebrew for "Teacher"). 

 "Don't cling to me," Jesus said, "for I haven't yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "

 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, "I have seen the Lord!" Then she gave them his message." (John 20:11-18 NLT) 

  As I said, (the week is not quite over,) Mary would be the topic for Christmas! Forgive me if I don't say that much today, this part of the story has me a little choked up. It's like opening a present, knowing what it might be, but, at the same time, expecting a surprise when you finally get it opened! 

 The most important thing that I would share today: "If you seek Him, He will show up!" It will most assuredly happen...

"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Luke 11:5-10 KJV)  

"The Essence of Change"

 "Then the disciples went away again unto their own home." (John 20:10 KJV)

  "Then Job replied to the LORD: "I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, 'Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?' It is I - and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, 'Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.' I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance."" (Job 42:1-6 NLT)

 Something we need to look at, is, as if we need to have something changed withing us! Regardless of how we might feel about our current life, as if we are doing just fine; as if everything is good, and there is nothing we need, nothing is wrong, and everything is perfect. No matter how you might think it is, you really aren't there, not even close! If you don't know what I am talking about, I feel for you, because you cannot see the fault within you.

 As it goes, Peter and John are adjusting to something; call it conviction, or call it revelation; whatever it is, it is leaving them void of enthusiasm and expectation of what comes next. I mean, what is a person to do? For over three years they have been hanging out with the Messiah, who is now risen, but not within reach! 

 If I had to relate this to something natural, it would have to be the feeling you might have after you do something extraordinary: being overwhelmed by what just took place; and, at the same time, feeling a giant void in your heart, because it has passed, maybe to never be experienced again. This is really not that unusual, because it is pictured in the Bible, time and time again. 

 If you to study the lives of many famous Preachers, the more amazingly they had preached and were able to put forth the word, causing people to change their way of thinking, the more likely they were to be inflicted with some sort of emotional or mental disorder. Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon; the list goes on, but they are known more for what they could do, not for what they had become; or how they might have ended up! 

 Better than most! Is the real truth, because this life is temporary and extremely fragile! But the joy of seeing the huge welcoming in heaven, that is what it's all about...

"Jesus told this story to his disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manger was wasting his employer's money. So the employer called him in and said, 'What's this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.' 

 "The manager thought to himself, 'Now what? My boss has fired me. I don't have the strength to dig ditches, and I am too proud to beg. Ah, I know how to ensure that I'll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.'

 "So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come a discuss the situation. He asked to first one, 'How much do you owe him?' The man replied, 'I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil,' So the manager told him, 'Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.' 

 " 'And how much do you owe my employer?' he asked the next man. 'I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat.' 'Here,' the manager said, 'take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.' 

 "The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. Here's the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home."" (Luke 16:1-9 NLT)       

"A Wink & A Nod"

 "For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead." (John 20:9 KJV)

  "No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave." (Psalm 16:9-10 NLT)

 At this point, (according to my way of thinking), this is where John's heart is changed; from this point on, Peter is no longer his competition, but has become his brother! John came into the tomb to consult and be with Peter; as they both were still trying to absorb what they had seen; it was time to realize that they needed to come together; things have just gotten real, and they needed each other. 

 Almost everyone has this, at least one point of their journey; sometimes it changes you forever, sometimes, it's just for a season or particular event or upcoming trial; but when it happens, you know that your heart has changed, and life is not as important as what you feel God is calling you to do! Remember, John is writing this many years after these events had taken place, but the emotional part of this story is still near and dear on his heart. 

 John was right beside Jesus, when Jesus told Peter, "Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter - before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me." And John was right there in the same courtyard with Peter, when that rooster crowed, witnessing Jesus and Peter looking at one another. 

 No, this was not the time to take up arms, or to go hide in a cave somewhere; this was a time to come together and expect that God was doing something amazing in their lives; that everything they knew and thought they knew, was about to change! Causing them to, (how can I explain this,) relax and let go...

"[Young Women of Jerusalem] Where has your lover gone, O woman of rare beauty? Which way did he turn so we can help you find him? [Young Woman] My lover has gone down to his garden, to his spice beds, to browse in the gardens and gather the lilies. I am my lover's, and my lover is mine. He browses among the lilies." (SONG OF SONGS 6:1-3 NLT)   

"Pay Attention"

 "Then went in also the other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed." (John 20:8 KJV)

  "One of the seven angels who had poured out the seven bowls came over and spoke to me. "Come with me," he said, "and I will show you the judgment that is going to come on the great prostitute, who rules over many waters. The kings of the world have committed adultery with her, and the people who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality."" (Revelation 17:1-2 NLT)

 Before you question what has happened, you must understand who was the first to see inside to tomb, and after he saw, he withdrew, stepping out as it were, to catch his breath! Sometimes, just the rush of knowing something extraordinary, although it is real and present, it causes us to recall things that just make our heads spin, and our hearts skip a beat; we just need to regain our composure! 

 Other than that, at this point John is stepping in, mostly to join Peter in his amazement. This is not really something that they were expecting, although they should have, because Jesus told them it was going to happen, they just couldn't picture it happening as it did. If you recall, Lazarus came out of his tomb bound, as if he floated out, with his feet being bound. Jesus left the tomb unbound, and He left a message, on His way out! 

 Anywho! Who is paying attention to the crazy and whacky stuff happening around this place called earth? Are we people of this world, or are we citizens of heaven? The people of this world are those that do not see what is happening, because they are part of the party; drunken by the immorality, as if it is just a part of life; and if it doesn't feel as though it hurts them, then it is not that big of a deal. 

 My mom had an expression, I really didn't understand it back then, but I think I get it now: "What comes around goes around." Which basically means, if someone treats someone badly, then they will be treated badly by someone else! If you don't understand what I am saying, just remember this: God has the last word! He will judge accordingly...

""Therefore, this is what the LORD says: Since you have not obeyed me by setting your countrymen free, I will set you free to be destroyed by war, disease, and famine. You will be an object of horror to all the nations of the earth. Because you have broken the terms of our covenant, I will cut you apart just as you cut apart the calf when you walked between its halves to solemnize your vows. Yes, I will cut you apart, whether you are officials of Judah or Jerusalem, court officers, priests, or common people - for you have broken your oath. I will give you to your enemies, and they will kill you. Your bodies will be food for the vultures and wild animals."" (Jeremiah 34:17-20 NLT) 

"About That Napkin!"

 "And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself." (John 20:7 KJV)

  "When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins." (Isaiah 53:11 NLT)

 This has been a topic of discussion once before; as it was, I was rebuked by someone for having repeated something I heard, for it involved the practice of folding a napkin at a dinner table, as the act of showing you were displeased with the meal or the service you received. As it was, I had found myself doing the same thing, as I finished, (actually, had not finished,) a meal I thought was meant to be a very elegant dinner. 

 Not only did I fold the napkin, but I stacked my plates, stowed my utensils on the folded napkin, and whipped the table off; as if to say, "I really wasn't all that impressed!" However, this is not the message that is given by Jesus, as He was very satisfied with what He had done; not what was presented to Him, because He was treated very poorly by those that were meant to be His people! 

 Basically, this is what is commonly called, "A Twofer," which is something that satisfies two criteria. He was very satisfied by the performance of what He had done; yet, at the same time, not all that impressed by the way His people treated Him. They mocked Him, spitted upon Him, and had Him nailed to a cross; as well as being very pleased with themselves for doing so!    

 Yet, at the same time, this was everything that was written about being fulfilled! Nothing was left undone, His work was complete, the anguish was over, and now it was time to get back to work, making disciples, that make disciples! This was going to be a complete game-changer, to say the least; and He knew it! 

 To be totally and completely accurate, the folding of this napkin was His way of saying, 'This is a whole new set of circumstances! The table has been set, and now it is time to show off the power of God!' By the way, I heard a very significant message yesterday, one that reminded me about things I have seen and heard people say, (myself, included), as if it is totally okay to say them. It involves the simple act of putting limits on the things God can do! 

 You probably know what I am talking about, because it happens all the time. It is when people are praying for certain things to happen but limit the request to the natural things that might happen, as if God doesn't do miracles anymore. Could it be that might be the reason? If you don't expect a miracle, then maybe you don't get a miracle shown to you!   

 Imagine what went through John's mind, at this particular moment! Here he is, fixated the bunched up linen clothes, and then looking over to the place where Jesus had folded the napkin that covered His head. What was Jesus trying to say? Having been released from the linen clothes, yet removing the head covering, and gently folding it, and placing it down to rest.  

 As I said before, John has a way of writing things and leaving lots of room for discovering, as well as our use of imagination. This is how God works! We don't know what God is going to do, as if the way He does things is like we expect them to be done! His ways are far above our ways! If you really want to see a miracle happen, then don't make the miracle about something that could possibly happen...

""O Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you! You show unfailing love to thousands, but you also bring the consequences of one generation's sin upon the next. You are the great and powerful God, the LORD of Heaven's Armies. You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles. You see the conduct of all people, and you give them what they deserve. You performed miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt - things still remembered to this day! And you have continued to do great miracles in Israel and all around the world. You have made your name famous to this day."" (Jeremiah 32:17-20 NLT)   

"Appointed to Stand"

 "Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie," (John 20:6 KJV)

  "Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you do not believe me." (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn't believe, and he knew who would betray him.) Then he said, "That is why I said that people can't come to me unless the Father gives them to me." At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Are you also going to leave?" Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God."" (John 6:61-69 NLT)

 This is the part of the story where things begin to get rather interesting, if that is the proper word to use; regardless of what you might think, Peter is not yet fully convinced; yet his heart is open for the truth, he just needs a little more convincing. John, although he is more willing to believe, he is not yet bold enough to be the one to proclaim it. 

 There is something to be said about way people are saved; some are saved wanting to gain something; while others, are saved hoping to be freed from something. Which one has the greater chance to be used of God? To be perfectly honest, I believe they are both used the same amount, but in different directions. One will be gaining the skill to teach and to lead, while the other will be the suffering servant that dies to himself and shows people how to love. 

 We all have our own calling, some more apparent than others; but none are less important that another! Of greater importance than anything we can do; God's role is greater! We could be the man or woman that just shows someone a little bit of kindness; without even knowing whom we have shown that kindness to. But that person could be the next Billy Graham, depending upon what God might do, with the little bit of kindness that you gave out.  

 To be perfectly frank, to stand is not really that supernatural, as we might think; but it is sacrificial, because it means that you are taking a stand, regardless of who or what might come against you. This is based upon what you believe, in that particular moment, without any concern for yourself. Does it happen all of the time? Sorry, to say, but it comes and goes like everything else! 

 With that, we have got to be led by the Spirit! Which, in case you did not know, means you must be willing to obey the directions that the Holy Spirit gives you. He will not force you to do what you are not willing to do; but He will force you to succeed in whatever you allow Him to do!

 Oh, by the way, I heard a little bit of a message about Peter the other day, when he was chained to those two Roman guards in prison. James, John's brother had just been killed by having his head cut off, and Peter was arrested, expecting the same. However, when an angel came to save him, he was fast asleep; so much so, the angel had to shake him to wake him up. 

 The point made about Peter being in a deep sleep, was that he was at home! At this point in his life, he was wherever God might have had him, without much of a care about anything else, but just to rest in the Lord! Much as Jesus had done, when He slept during the storm on the boat, as the disciples cried out, "Awake Lord! Don't you care if we die?" 

 The whole point was the fact that Jesus said, "We are going to the other side!" He didn't say what might happen along the way, but He did promise that they would make it to the other side...

"For if you are trying to make yourself right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn't God, for he is the one who called you to freedom." (Ephesians 5:4-8 NLT)

"What Condition?"

 "And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in." (John 20:5 NLT)

  "Finally, he said to his disciples, "Let's go back to Judea." But his disciples objected, "Rabbi," they said, "only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?" Jesus replied, "There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light." Then he said, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up." The disciples said, "Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!" They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. So he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And for your sakes, I'm glad I wasn't there, for now you will really believe. Come, let's go see him." Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let's go, too - and die with Jesus."" (John 11:7-16 NLT)

 Okay; so, the passage of Scripture from 2 Corinthians 8:10-12, although Paul is speaking about giving, as in tithes and offerings, this goes much further than your abilities to give; money is practical to give, because it is counted and portioned out, based upon what you might have. Time, on the other hand, is a different thing altogether!   

 As you probably have surmised, John's gospel message is different than the rest, as John deals with the Deity of Jesus Christ; making claim to the Godhead position of Jesus and showing proof of the power which comes with true belief! Do you believe? Have you made up your mind, yet, that He is who He said the He was? Or are you still waiting for more proof, as if this message doesn't quite do it?  

 Why does that matter, Son of God, God the Creator; what's the difference? The difference is in where you are positioned, as in the power of a man that came from heaven; or are you positioned in the power of God, who was, and is, and always will be! There is really a difference: Put your hand in the hand of the man or put your entire life in the hand of God! 

 That said, no matter what life you had before, Jesus has made you more than you think you are! As I shared before, a very famous evangelist, named Dwight L. Moody, had set out to be, the man, the world could see what God can do with a man wholly committed to him! Yet at the time of death, he confessed, "The world has still yet to see that man." 

 As with giving money, you can only give what you have; giving what you don't have, really doesn't work! The church really doesn't like it when your check bounces! I once gave based upon my sales; but sometimes, sales don't produce money right away, because even though the work is done, the checks sometimes get delayed. 

 Now I base my giving according to what I get; no matter how it comes, if I receive anything, I write it down, and on Saturday I tally it all up and give 10%. The money is there, so I have given according to what I have, not of what I don't. Time, on the other hand is the same for you, as it is for me; we all have 24 hours in a single day, as the Lord gives us; which is to be looked at as the same as money!  

 If you haven't figured that out yet, you should start making your days more about doing well with what you are given, money or time, they both come from God! It really doesn't matter how much you give or can't give, as long as you are giving God the portion, He expects you to give, with an eager and happy heart! 

 What does this have to do with "what condition"? Have you ever wondered why John stayed so close to Jesus? When you want to be a light, you need to be close to the Light! It's all about what you want to be, because God will make you more than you ask, you just need to start asking...

"Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." (2 Corinthians 9:24-27 NLT)

"To Outrun the Other!"

 "So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre." (John 20:4 KJV)

  "Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it. Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don't have." (2 Corinthians 8:10-12 NLT)

 Before I get into this, I want to share about yesterday's post, touching on the point I made regarding the heart of John's condition. For those out there who get this, please make sure you can hold tightly to the things you have come to believe; don't allow anyone to tell you something different, because there are a lot of people out there who will judge, when the only One you are going to be judged by, will be Jesus! 

 I am not saying that John was anything else but someone that had sins; the kind of sins that make us feel as though God cannot forgive us! Without getting too deep into this, let's just say that there are sins that we can do, which are hard to get out of our minds. No matter how hard we try, this type of sins will be always used against us, making our sleeping hours of the night, sometimes unbearable, to say the least; and that's putting in nicely! 

 Otherwise, this conversation is over, because there are some things we are, and there are some things we are not! It is what you chose to be, and that is the end of the conversation! No matter what anyone tells you, you are born a sinner; sinners' sin because they have a sinful nature, not because they are born to be different from anyone else. Hope you can believe that, because it is the TRUTH! 

 About this, "To Outrun the Other!" The other is yourself! That guy that just wants to be the life of the party, to live as if there is no tomorrow, and who really doesn't care about consequences, only about the current moment. Do you know anyone like that? If so, you need to win that race, with everything you got! This is about leaving the other guy in your dust, each and every time you run together, run faster and reach the goal that is set before you. 

 There is an illustration of something that I remember from, "The Normal Christian Life," were those who hold unto sin, are like a person that walks around with a dead person strapped to their back. There is always this stink behind them, that just doesn't seem to go away.

 I have said this before, as it has already been said, "When we stand before Jesus, there will be only one question He will ask us, "Did you believe that I loved you?" Believe it with all your heart...

""So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, "I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth." So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. Well then, you might say, "Why does God people for not responding? Haven't they simply done what he makes them do?" No, don't say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, "Why have you made me like this?" When the potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles." (Romans 9:16-24 NLT)

"From the Heart"

 "Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre." (John 20:3 KJV)

  "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and mind as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)

 To touch upon something: I believe Mary Magdalene went to the tomb expecting Jesus to have risen; yet, upon arriving, seeing the stone was rolled away, and the tomb empty, her mind overtook her heart; so, she began to think the worse. It is really not that unusual to happen; I remember many times where I think this or that should be like this or that; yet any sort of variance to what I believed, and it destroys everything I believed would happen.  

 Something for next week, to be sure that I am not off my rocker! Meanwhile, this verse is about the heart of Peter and John! As we know, Peter has a serious issue that he would love to resolve, without anyone there to resolve the issue with! The last time Peter saw Jesus, it was from a distance, as He was hanging on the cross; before that, it was the night before, when Jesus looked into his eyes, as the cock crowed!

 The only disciple mentioned at the foot of the cross was John, "the disciple that Jesus loved!" Oh my goodness! One of the "sons of thunder"! For whatever it's worth, I believe John once was a pretty bad dude, who had to believe that Jesus loved him! If you don't think it is so, then you cannot understand what I am saying. 

 There are some who have been saved, believing that the was meant to be; and then there are those who get saved, wondering how it could ever be! Especially, if you can't hold it together; if you don't love others, more than yourself! This is what God does: He turns garbage into something wonderful...

"I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning." (2 John 5-6 NLT) 

"The Messenger"

"Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him." (John 20:2 KJV) 

  "The woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming - the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus told her, "I Am the Messiah!" Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, "What do you want with her?" or "Why are you taking to her?" The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?" So the people came streaming from the village to see him." (John 4:25-30 NLT)

 If you have been following this crazy blog, for most of my adventure, then you might have had a chance to read about my very first teaching that I gave, based upon one word, "Must!" Which was taken from the verse, John 4:4 where it says, John's way, "And he must needs go through Samaria." (KJV) As was the case, most Jews would not go through Samaria, even if they had to go out of their way, it would be the place they would avoid, at just about all cost! 

 However, Jesus knew what He was doing, why He was going, and what He would encounter, once He got there! Therefore, it was a must that He go! As much as I would like to share more, it is not about that, but it is about the woman, the one that became the vessel by which Jesus would do what Jesus does: grow the Kingdom of God! 

 I was blessed yesterday to hear a message, from Pastor Jack. I have known Jack ever since the beginning of my journey as a believer, as he was the assistant pastor at my very first Calvary Chapel. Jack was in the room with Pastor Jeff, when my wife and I were being interviewed for our pre-marital counseling. 

 This was the moment when Jeff asked me how I pictured the wedding to be, and I quickly answered, "We would like to have an alter call at the wedding." Both Jack and Jeff looked at each other, not sure what that might look like. Just then, Pastor Mike and Pastor Dan were walking by, from lunch. Mike was the Youth Pastor and Dan was the Worship Pastor. 

 Jeff called out to Mike, "Hey Mike, come in here for a minute." Then Jeff turned to me, saying, "Tell him what you just told me about your wedding." So I said, "We want to have an alter call at the wedding." Mike quickly answered back, "Wow, that's cool!" So Jeff leaned forward, saying, "There is the Pastor that will perform your ceremony!" And then Dan said, "And I will provide the music!" 

 Anywho, the whole point of anything I just said, it that there are things which God expects us to do, which are the things that we can do! If we can do it, then God will not! However, those things we do, are the venue, means, or conduit, by which God does the things that only He can do! 

 Case in point, if you are called or prompted to lay hands on someone, to pray for a healing; it is your obedience to that prompting that will allow God to heal them. We cannot heal them, only God can do that; but we "MUST" be the servant, sent by God, to be available and faithful enough to do what we are prompted to do! 

 Just as this 'woman at the well', who was prompted to set down her water pot, and run down to her town, telling everyone about the Messiah! She became the messenger, even though see was not worthy of service, she was faithful to do her part! 

 Like I said before, the most important part in ministry, it to make yourself available: 'We must do our best; God does the rest'...

""The voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke, Then I said, "It's all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven's Armies." Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, "See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven." Then I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?" I said, "Here I am. Send me."" (Isaiah 6:4-8 NLT) 

 

"The Stone Rolled Away"

 "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre." (John 20:1 KJV) 

  "I have discovered this principle of life - that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin." (Romans 7:21-25 NLT)

 Maybe it is time we start thinking about what it is that makes us so vulnerable to drop our guard? If that is what we want to call it? Dressing ourselves in the Full Armor of God helps; but it still doesn't stop us from looking within for answers, responses, and reactions to life's critical moments! 

 As I am reading this, Full Armor of God thing, to my wife every morning, I seem to get somewhat distracted, more like a cringe, every time I say that name, 'Satan,' outload, as if he is the only one that is going to cause me to mess up and commit sin. I get it, we have a serious foe, real as he might be; but there is more to be dealt with in this life than he who is in this world; we still have the world within us! 

 The whole point to Israel and the picture that is shown to us, from just about every page of the Bible, is that they are always falling short from being God's chosen people; no matter how much they tried, they still ended up falling back into idol worship, adultery against God, and desiring things which God has warned them not to go after. 

 Don't ask me what this is all about, because I have no clue! I asked for answers, not for excuses; excuses are easy to find! I can easily point a finger at someone, blaming them for the way I think, feel, or pretend to be motivated, in whatever direction I want to go. We can blame it on the devil, but he just helps us get down the wrong road, when we shouldn't have been on that road in the first place! 

 Look at it this way: The tomb is where death was bound; the body was kept within, to illustrate that it was captive to the grave. But the stone was rolled away! The resurrected body was freed, to walk in the power of new life; the old life is gone, the new life has been put in motion; a life that is filled with God's Spirit, in order to lead us down the right road!  

 Don't ask me where this is going, because I have no clue! Neither do we know where God leads us, until He leads us; but whatever and wherever He does, it requires that we trust Him, even when it doesn't make sense! He knows best what we need, when we need it, and how far we will go! 

 As I listened to a message yesterday about planning things for our lives, it reminded me of all the times I set out to do something that I felt God had told me to do; but then went forward, doing it my own way. Whatever it was, a new home, a new truck, a change of motivation; nothing really matters, regardless of how much we think it is ours's to do, if God's will isn't being followed at every turn! You don't need much of a turn, to be headed in the wrong direction. 

 By the way, if Mary was coming to anoint the body of Jesus, who was going to roll away the stone? Weren't there soldiers surrounding the tomb, which had been sealed? I'm scratching my head for answers, hoping that I don't get confused. But, if you think about it, for whatever it's worth, she might have came, just to see the stone was rolled away... 

"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his Son in a body like bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our own sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit." (Romans 8:1-4 NLT) 

 

"The Resurrection"

  "Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, "They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" 

 Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and saw and believed - for until then they still hadn't understood the Scripture that said Jesus must rise from the dead. Then they went home." (John 20:1-10 NLT)

  "Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called." (Isaiah 54:4-5 KJV)

 This just doesn't feel so much like Christmas, at least not yet! Personally, this time of the year just is way too hard for me to adjust, having the special love of my life unable to celebrate with me, as we would always try to make this a blessed time of the year. One of our favorite things to do, was to hang out at the mall the last few days before Christmas; mostly to just watch as people scrambled to complete their holiday shopping.  

 I had a little thing that I did, while Marianne would slip into a store, I would sit on the bench close by, and pull out a "Chick Tract" to start reading it, while someone would sit by and look over by shoulder. Then when Marianne would come out of the store, I would place the tract on the bench, walking away, I would pray for the person that would pick it up and read it. 

 With the accounts of this moment shown with more detail, in the other Gospels, I believe John has decided the other accounts were enough, that the specific detail that should matter most, is that Jesus was no longer in that tomb! Think about that, while you celebrate His birth; because this moment is what the birth was all about! 

 As I listened to Pastor Mike F. yesterday, he shared on the importance of the Virgin Birth; indicating that the Virgin Birth of Jesus was just as important as the resurrection, because if He hadn't been born of a virgin, then He wouldn't have been born as the Son of God...

"Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither shall I tempt the LORD. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:10-14 KJV)  

 

"The Day"

 "There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand." (John 19:42 KJV)

  "For example, there was God's promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: "I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number." Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised." (Hebrews 6:13-14 NLT)

 Hope, peace, joy, and love; those are the things which are said to be bestowed upon those who put their trust in the finished work of Christ Jesus. As it goes, all four of those things are given, but they must be used in order to be made manifested in our lives! 

 Case in point: say you have been bestowed with the honor of being chosen for a high office, whatever that office might represent; if you do not feel as though you are worthy, you may not do so well making your position worth the calling, or your performance worth the position you were given. We have these gifts, because we have been made brand-new! The old man is buried with Christ; the new man is risen with Christ, and given a new, glorious position, that is secured in Heaven! 

 Yes, it is true, we are not worthy, but not because we have been given that position; because it was not based upon anything we did! But the thing that matters the most, which we frequently forget the must, is that Christ has made us worthy by the death He suffered upon the cross! What that means, in case you might not have been paying attention: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love are ours, given with the New Life we have in Christ, which basically means, they do not need to be asked for, they need to be put to use! 

 We must understand what this day represented, the "The Day of Preparation." When you look upon the children of Israel, as they prepared for the journey; they were dressed, their sandals were on their feet, and staff in hand; standing inside their houses, prepared for the very first Passover! God instructed them to be ready, as if they were going to be taken somewhere that night! 

 I know it might be hard to understand it, but if you don't show up, then God can't use you, as you could be used! That might sound incredibly simple and so easy to do; but it is the main thing in just about every situation! Abraham did not go when God first told him to go; but when he did go, God began to do a great work in him. 

 If we are prepared for the journey, then the journey has already begun; now we walk in it...

"I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made." (Philippians 3:12-16 NLT)   

  

"The Place"

 "Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein was never man yet laid." (John 19:41 KJV)

  "Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave." (Isaiah 53:8-9 NLT)

 Matthew Henry has this place, "the garden," as belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, which would make perfect sense, as the meeting place where Jesus spent most of His time praying, would have been more private than public, if it was owned by someone, especially a friend. Much of this area, including the place of the crucifixion, was said to be the same place where Abraham was going to sacrifice Issac.

 Charles Spurgeon has it that Joseph was Jesus' best friend, listing the tomb in which Christ was laid, "it is the tomb of your best friend." Moreover, he indicates that the borrowed tomb, which was borrowed, has another spiritual meaning, because our sins, too, are borrowed! And yet, to put it into a greater context, our sins were borrowed by the Lord Jesus Christ, as He had no sins, but took our sins upon himself: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV) 

Besides this, would or could you imagine, for just a moment, this tomb which Jesus was buried in, might have been a familiar place to Him, as it was, He really had no home to lay down and sleep at night. ""Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head."" (Luke 9:58 NLT) 

 Whether you believe it or not, but John's Gospel leaves much unspoken, although it is still there, between the lines! In a stranger sort of way, I think that our writing's, both John's and mine, and quite similar. Not that it matters, but there are many more things I could say in many of the postings, but I don't say them, specifically to leave much open for interpretation and exploration.  

 I know it might sound crazy, but this reminds me of something of a vision I had, at least ten years ago. I have shared this before, but it might be more relevant now, that we are taking about borrowed sins. Some relate it to baptism, as we go down into the water burdened and heavy loaded by sin, coming up, out of the water free from sin, as if, floating to the surface.

 Others, show it as a miracle, that can only be performed by the hand of God; to which, only God can free us from the sin we are loaded down by; sins which have been placed upon us, from the time of our birth! Yet, the beauty of the whole truth, is that the deliverance is free! It is ours for the taking, we just need to reach out and grab hold of it...

"One day the group of prophets came to Elisha and told him, "As you can see, this place where we meet with you is too small. Let's go down to the Jordan River, where there are plenty of logs. There we can build a new place for us to meet." "All right," he told them, "go ahead." "Please come with us," someone suggested. "I will," he said. So he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees. But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell off into the river. "Oh, sir!" he cried. "It was a borrowed ax!" "Where did it fall?" the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface. "Grab it," Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it." (2 Kings 6:1-7 NLT) 

"Be Wont!"

 "Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it is linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury." (John 19:40 KJV) 

  "Once again and message came to me from the LORD: "Son of man, give your people this message: 'When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman. When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people. Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die. They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives. But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn't sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.'"" (Ezekiel 33:1-6 NLT)

 Do you remember that commercial, "Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't"? Whatever it is, I feel that God is trying to show me some sort of connection; yet, I have no idea what it is, yet! The title that I put up today, for what it's worth, basically is about customs, habitual ways of doing things, and things that are the customary way; to do or not do, whatever it is, that is meant to be done. 

 First of all, both of these men put quite a bit of planning into this; this was not a last-minute preparation; they had been planning this for quite some time. Joseph had the grave, Nicodemus had the spices; they had a home nearby where they washed the body, had the linen cloth prepared for wrapping, and were doing everything as per the customary burial, according to Jewish standards. 

 Imagine what this might have been like! You set out to plan something, based upon the death of a friend, knowing His time was at hand, in advance of the crucifixion! Whether or not Jesus was in on this, the Bible does not say; but one thing is for absolutely sure: God had put everything into perfect order! As if this was the customary thing to do, but not for the Jews! 

 If the Jews had their way, Jesus' body would have been thrown into the mass-grave with all the others that had been executed; something that the Father would not allow to happen mostly because the writing in the Scriptures say otherwise! I hope you can see and understand what it is that John is focusing on, because the whole point of his Gospel Message, based upon the facts, is all about the power and the consistency of God! 

 About the other issue, whatever connection there is, it has the same power and consistency associated with it, because God does not change! We change all the time, whether we plan to or not, it happens based upon our feelings, motivations, and our sins. Case in point: we can have the strongest premonition about something that God is showing us, but as soon as we must share what it is, we back down to avoid offending someone or chancing being laughed at or made fun of. 

 Imagine what kind of chances these two men took; however, they planned it, it was something that had to go off, without a hitch! Basically, what that means: there was major planning involved, based upon the Passover, the time of death, the urgency to get the body off of the cross, the request to Pilate for the body, the opposition expected from the Jews; so many factors involved; yet it all went exactly as they had planned! 

 That said, "Be Wont!" If you want to know what is customary and meant to be done, in reference to being a servant of God: When He says move, you move; when He says stay, you stay; when He says speak, you speak; when He says shut your mouth, you shut your mouth! You do whatever it is that you are expected to do, based upon the fact that He is God, and you are His servant! 

 I hope you see the meaning involved in the actions these two Saints of God had done; because it was more than chance and circumstance: it was about doing what God told them to do, regardless of the price or standing; they focused upon the work of God, without the fear of man... 

""Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows - one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. "Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. "Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. 'I have come to set man against his father, and daughter against her mother, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!' "If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."" (Matthew 10:28-39 NLT) 

"The Other Saint"

 "And there came also Nicodemus, which at first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight." (John 19:39 KJV)

  "You are my private garden, my treasure, my bride, a secluded spring, a hidden fountain. Your thighs shelter a paradise of pomegranates with rare spices - henna with nard, nard with saffron, fragrant calamus and cinnamon, with all the trees of frankincense, myrrh, and aloes, and every other lovely spice. You are a garden fountain, a well of fresh water steaming down from Lebanon's mountains." (SONG OF SONGS 4:12-15 NLT)

 As previously stated, Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, hoping to understand what gave Him the boldness and authority to do things, which common people, as well as those in priestly positions, were unable to have the nerve or the gumption to attempt to do. The Temple was considered to be a sacred place, a place of worship, a place of refuge, and a place where the Spirit of God would manifest and do things that only God had the power to do. 

 Thus, the reason the Jews requested the Jesus show them a sign, to show His authority to cleanse out the Temple, chasing out the moneychangers and turning over tables! As I mentioned before, these things Jesus did twice, and during my upbringing, this was made known to me as the proof that Jesus was not perfect, as I was told, 'He had some serious anger issues, basically decimating the Temple.'

 That would have been the J.W. version of the story; but what I know now, is that Jesus was honoring His Father's house; cleansing it, as it was being used for making money, not for a place dedicated to worship. This was something that caused Nicodemus to need to know the things he did not understand! Having been a teacher of the Scriptures, you would think he would think he knew everything; but like most who seriously search the Scriptures for truth, the more you search, the more you need answers! 

 There is something that I have been amazed with, since the mid-nineties, which I have shared with several pastors and friends that study and teach the Word of God. The verse is found in Job 38:22-23, as God is asking Job if he has entered into the treasures of the snow and the hail. They say that the Book of Job is the oldest know writings of the Bible, and many of the things which are written in those verses, to this day, explain certain things about our existence, that science is just beginning to figure out. 

 With this mystery that God speaks about, He says: "Which I have reserved against the time of troubles, against the day of battle and war?" As it turns out, the first global conflict was started in 1914, which happened to be around ten years after the first pictures were taken of magnified snowflakes, which were considered to be treasures! 

 This might not seem all that important to some, but to me, it tells me that God's timetable is not that far off from being fulfilled. Our planets troubles have just begun, things will become terribly worse before they get better. We need to be prepared for what is going to happen, "Study to show yourself approved!" (2 Timothy 2:15)

 Back to Nick, the one that needed to know more: Jesus told him more than could comprehend in one sitting! Therefore, it would make sense to those that try to make sense, that this was not the first and only encounter that Nicodemus had with Jesus. If you are someone who wants answers, you don't give up searching for answers when you only given more things to question. 

 By the way, the whole reason that Nicodemus had so much spice, many believe was to preserve the body of Jesus, and to keep it smelling good. Another reason that I believe Nicodemus was a strong believer that Jesus was telling the truth about rising up from the grave in three days. Both of these Saints believed, doing their parts to assist in the preservation of Jesus' body. Although, they really didn't need to do it, it was done out of respect and admiration to their Lord and King! 

 Another little tidbit, Nicodemus means, "Conqueror" which is also defined as, "victorious among his people". There are certain cultures that have portrayed both Joseph and Nicodemus as Saints; some even have the two of them pictured in paintings, standing beside Jesus after His resurrection. Whatever you might think of them, they both sacrificed a bit of themselves to protect the body of Christ...

"So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don't need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding." (Hebrews 6:1-3 NLT)    

 

"The Secret Disciple"

 "And after this Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus." (John 18:38 KJV) 

  "Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety." (Proverbs 29:25 NLT)

 Okay, so much of what I am about to say, whatever it might be, is something that is purely speculation and based upon location, circumstances, and possibilities. In other words, these are ideas of the type of relationship the Joseph of Arimathea had with Jesus, having been His secret disciple. 

 First off, a little thing to know about Joseph's position, his wealth, and the power he had been given, in order to make the request to take possession of the body of Jesus. Joseph was a member of the "the council", which would also indicate that he was a member of the Sanhedrin, specifically the "Great Sanhedrin" in Jerusalem.

 Rumor also has it, that he was a personal friend of Pilate, which made asking for the body of Jesus, that much more a personal request. Besides that, what Joseph did, offended the Jews, which allowed only a disgraceful burial to the executed. According to history, the Jews imprisoned Joseph after the burial; but Jesus released him after His resurrection. 

 Other than being a secret disciple, Joseph was known to have been a friend of Jesus, as well as Pilate; so, there was, if you will, a triangle connection between the three of them. Something of a coincidence, or just a convenient ordination in order to make God's plans all fall into place. Either way, God works things out to happen, just as they need to happen, to fit into His will and purposes! 

 One more little tidbit of information was that Joseph ended up with a certain reelect, the Holy Grail, which was the cup Jesus used in the Last Supper. He was also placed in charge of 12 missionaries, by none other than Philip, one of the Twelve Apostles. 

 Now, the real spiculation, is based upon location: the garden! This was a very special place for Jesus, as He went there often to pray, but more than that, this is also that place where the tomb was located which belonged to, none other than, Joseph of Arimathea! Friend to friend, don't you think maybe that this tomb might have been a topic of their conversations? 

 I am very convinced that this was no coincidence, because the tomb was only going to be borrowed, not a place for Jesus to be buried. You must believe, if Jesus told His disciples, plain and simply that He was going to rise again after three days, don't you think He would have mentioned it to His friend, Joseph? Especially since it would be Joseph's tomb that He would be staying in...

"[Young Women of Jerusalem] Where has your lover gone, O woman of rare beauty? Which way did he turn so we can help you find him? [Young Woman] My lover has gone down to his garden, to his spice beds, to browse in the gardens and gather the lilies. I am my lover's, and my lover is mine. He browses among the lilies." (SONG OF SONGS 6:1-3 NLT)  

"The Burial of Jesus"

  "Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus' body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. With him came Nicodemus, the man who came to Jesus at night. He brought seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there." (John 19:38-42 NLT) 

  "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 KJV)

 There are certain days when I feel as though I have nothing to say; not that there is anything wrong with that, because those days I tend to listen more to God's heart, avoiding the feelings within my own. This is typically one of those days; I have nothing to offer, not even a simple word of encouragement. 

 If you remember, the night that Nicodemus came to speak to Jesus, he came with a curious mind, hoping to get answers about things he really knew nothing about. Most likely, what drew him to Jesus for some information, was Jesus' manor and authority earlier, when He cased all of the moneychangers out of the Temple. 

 Usually, when you see someone that might do something that is usually forbidden, you tend to wonder how they were given such authority, and how it was they were given such boldness. The Jews in the Temple said, "What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?" (John 2:18 KJV) To which Jesus answered, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (John 2:19 KJV)

 I believe that Nicodemus was among those Jews, observing all that Jesus did, and wanting to know how He was so bold to do what He did; let alone, give such a crazy sign, to show His authority to do what He did. That said, I whole-heartedly believe the Nicodemus, as well as Joseph, believed that Jesus was going to rise up in three days, just as He said! 

 Not that it cannot be proven, because I believe that it can; but that it is something that God ordained and made it to happen! He makes things happen, sometimes without people knowing, and then again, because they believe, He allows it to happen through them...

""I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals beneath the forge and makes the weapons of destruction. And I have created the armies that destroy. But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up against you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!"" (Isaiah 54:16-17 NLT)  

"Dig It!"

 "And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced." (John 19:37 KJV)

  "He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him - even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen! "I am the Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and the end," says the Lord God. "I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come - the Almighty One."" (Revelation 1:6-8 NLT)

 Again, let me say it again and again: He is coming soon! Be Ready! I know that we do not know the day or the hour; but He has not left us in the dark, because we do know the season! By the way, this is the Season in which we are given the greatest opportunities to share Jesus with those who might not ever give us a chance. This is the time of year when songs are playing, declaring the Lord, when mangers are on display, and where people are looking for hope and peace! 

 In other words, this is a time when we have open doors to declare the real reason for the season: The Greatest Gift even given: Christ Jesus, the Lord! It really doesn't get much more meaningful than this! And, if you are someone that might think this is just some gimmick or festive time to celebrate some sort of Pegan holiday, take a little time to watch a movie called, "Saving Christmas," by Kirk Cameron; it might just help you get in the Spirit of Christmas! 

 Pastor Nathan shared something on Sunday, which really made me think about Heaven's location, and how far or near it might really be. He was sharing about the angels that all appeared in the sky, singing "Glory to God in highest heaven!" The way he said he saw it, was that the Host of Heaven were listening to the angel Gabriel, as he describes the events that were taking place in the nearby town of Bethlehem.

 As he described it, those multitude of angels were listening, excited by what was being said, drawing closer and closer to the wall between heaven and earth, which opened up, making them fall forwards, and caused them to appear, lighting up the sky. To which, they had nothing else to do, but break out in glorious song! 

 I guess you would have had to had seen Nathan's animation of the event; because he made appear as though it was something kids might do as they are over-hearing what presents they might be getting for Christmas. This might not be the exact day to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but it is the time of year when the majority of this world will be celebrating it; so, let's try and do our part!    

 This weekend I am hoping to get my tree up; alongside the tree I have the baby Jesus in a makeshift trough that would be for feeding hay to a donkey. Next to baby Jesus are my two little characters, the little snowman and sock monkey; the snowman is praying, and the sock monkey is holding up a gift. 

 When I go all out, I have a set of a cup and a plate, which have Santa Clause pictured on them, usually placed on the fireplace mantel. Next to the plate and cup is posted on the wall a document for Santa to sign, that releases me of all liabilities for the milk and cookies, that he might partake. I know, you can make fun of me if you want, it's just my way of having fun.   

 By the way! Don't forget, this is a time of year when we can honestly and freely express Joy! Can you dig it...

"That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger." Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven - praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace of earth to those whom God is pleased."" (Luke 2:8-14 NLT)  

"To Make Complete"

 "For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken." (John 19:36 KJV)

  "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." (Philippians 1:6 NLT)

 We must remain encouraged, as it is, God does not overlook any detail, even the smallest little thing, is not left out; He is a Stickler when it comes doing everything He has promised, especially when it comes to His children! I'm not sure what He is currently waiting for, but I can only assume that He is holding out for the very last person that will say yes to believing in His Son for salvation. Besides that, I think we have everything else pretty much set in order; the things that have been spoken of, are ready to be used, and everything that needs to happen, is pretty much set in motion, the resources are all available, and now we just need the rapture to take place. 

 As to the thought from yesterday, those who are in ministry for the money or the glory, they know who they are, and nobody really needs to point them out. God will deal with His own house, so nobody needs to worry that it continues to happen. That said, maybe He is waiting for the bad servants to change, as if it is important to move thousands; those who have been comfortably waiting for leadership to get serious! If you are in that type of church, pray hard for your pastors! 

 This scripture that John is talking about, is linked to at least five Scriptures in the Old Testament, which is why he is making it something that we should pay attention to. At first glance, we might not think that it is all that big of a deal, but given the circumstances, this really is a pretty big deal. Matthew Henry points this out, saying: "That the scripture might be fulfilled, and so both the honor of the Old Testament preserved and the truth of the New Testament confirmed." 

 We must understand that this thing Jesus did on the cross, manifested weakness: it was God at His lowest form, suffering and dying, dying a physical death; something the Creator of heaven and earth had to make happen, because it could have never happened without His obedience to allow it to happen! 

 Matthew Henry points it like this: "There was a significancy in it; the strength of the body is in the bones. The Hebrew word for the bones signifies the strength, and therefore not a bone of Christ must be broken. Sin breaks our bones, as it broke David's (Psalms 51:8 'Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice'); but it did not break Christ's bones; he stood firm under the burden, mighty to save."  

 Keep looking up! We must stay alert and ready, just as the children of Israel were dressed and ready to go, when that first Passover had taken place; that was a sign of that preparation for departure...

""A faithful, sensible servant is one whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But what if the servant is evil and thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."" (Matthew 24:45-51 NLT)