Category: Jesus

When the unborn baby heard of the coming of Messiah, he jumped for joy! “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!’”

Just as a ‘young’ John the Baptist was excited two thousand years ago, a nine-month-old John celebrates now! As our friends Pete and Mary led worship Sunday, John stood and danced and tapped his foot. A smiling mother watched her growing son, and I’ll bet an all-seeing Father laughed with delight.

He created us to worship… to sing… to dance… and to present our gifts to the Savior. No matter how young or old or how rich or poor, Jesus came to bring joy to the world. How wonderful the news!

But He also came to bring a sword. Conflict is inevitable when Light penetrates darkness. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

And those who love Him most may have hearts pierced with sorrow as true goodness is scorned and rejected. Simeon prophesied to Mary, “This child is destined to cause the rising and falling of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Why would we crucify the only good man that ever lived? But history’s most horrible injustice brings the best news of all! “My sin – O the bliss of this glorious thought – my sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the Cross and I bear it no more! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, oh my soul!”

Leap for joy and dance to the music! God is with us! Immanuel!

“At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place. Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth. He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds he holds nothing back. God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.” Job 37:1-5

So why did He pick up the cross and carry it? Why didn’t He simply refuse? They had already beaten Him half to death… what else could they have done? He knew He was going to be crucified… why carry the instrument that killed Him?

Do not forget that Jesus had the choice. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep… No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”(John 10:11,18) He could have said “no” to the whole ordeal, but He didn’t. He could have said “no” to any part, but He chose to drink the whole cup.

And He says to us, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”(Luke 9:23) As He carried His cross through Jerusalem to Golgotha, Jesus was speaking to us: “This is the way. A time will come that looks impossible, but you can make it. Watch me. I didn’t have to carry my cross; I chose to. You don’t have to follow Me; you choose to. I scorned the shame because I knew of the joy ahead. I looked past the pain, for I knew where I would end up. I spent every ounce of energy because this was the cup My Father gave Me to drink. I honored my Father in what I did… and I set you an example. Believe me when I tell you that the joy you will receive far surpasses anything you can imagine. It was worth it for me to suffer as I did! It is worth it for you to follow Me!”

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:2-3

So how do I fight the “good fight” if I’ve never been trained to be a soldier? What if I’ve never seen myself as a ‘Braveheart’? What if I’m not even clear about the war?

Thank God we have a Mighty Warrior who sees perfectly. Thank God a Heart braver than William Wallace went before us. John caught a glimpse of this Holy One. “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.” Revelation 19:11-15

In our race, we are instructed to “fix our eyes on Jesus” who fought, endured, and won the victory. “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” The secret for Jesus on earth was that He knew He was not alone. “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son does also.” “By myself I can do nothing.” “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” No wonder He is the Mighty Warrior!

So what about me? “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, whom you have received from God?” If I really believe that God lives in me, there should be no fear. As Jesus is my hope of salvation and every other spiritual blessing, so He is my hope of fighting the “good fight”.

“I am with you, even to the end of the world. Quit looking at yourselves and look at Me. Because I live, you live. Realize that I am in my Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. As I kept my eyes on my Father while I walked the earth, so you must keep your eyes on Me now. I suffered; you will suffer… but because I persevered, you can persevere. The world does not see Me, but you can… with the eyes of your heart. Believe what I tell you and follow Me.”

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galations 2:20

“How will this be?” asked Mary after she was told the Christ would live in her. “I am a virgin! How can a virgin have a baby?” “Nothing is impossible with God,” the angel replied.

For a time, the salvation of the world hinged on a young Jewish girl bearing the Son of promise. The book of Revelation shows the strategy of the devil as he saw his coming destruction. “The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour the child the moment he was born.” (see Rev 12) Though God’s plan was not thwarted, we see there were spiritual battles beyond the earthly realm.

“How will this be?” we ask as the mystery of God is revealed through the hands of the apostles: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”(Col. 1:27) “I am a sinner! How can the Holy One dwell in me?” “Nothing is impossible with God,” we must be reminded. The birth of Christ had less to do with Mary’s role than it did with the Holy Spirit’s. “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said” was the greatest response Mary could give. So it is with us.

“I do not claim to understand, Lord, but I believe you have come to live in my heart. I die… You live… is this Your plan? Let me have Mary’s heart to believe you are able. Let me have Mary’s heart to surrender myself as Your servant. Let me have Your promise that as the devil tries to destroy what You are doing, You will complete what You have begun. May it be unto me as You will.”

The defeated dragon despises the Seed of the Son. He could not succeed against the Anointed One so he concentrates on His offspring. His time is short, so his tactics are ruthless. “Do not let the Seed take root. Choke out… dry up… steal, kill, destroy the Word.” Such are the instructions the devil gives his servants.

But we say, “The Lord is my strength, I shall not fear. It is not by my might nor by my power, but by His Spirit that I will be victorious. If He does not live in me, I can do nothing… but if He does live in me, there will be fruit. I will abide in Him… I will trust in Him… I will hope in Him… and I will be more than a conqueror. For no hardship or trouble or persecution or sickness or demon or anything else in all creation will be able separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Merry Christmas!

Thank you for continued prayers for my friend, Joe. He has had a turn for the better the past couple of days. God hears the prayers of His children!

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (John 4:23)

Read the ninth chapter of John to find such a worshiper. This is a story of grace… the story of all true worshipers. Though he was a familiar face, he was a nobody. Every day this blind man sat and begged as people occasionally theorized about the type of horrible sin that must have brought about his condition. But one day, Someone he didn’t know, put mud on his eyes and told him to go wash in a pool. When he did, he could see!

The ensuing trouble must have confused this man with new sight, but having never had much, being kicked out of the synagogue might not have been too painful. Over and over he told his story and over and over he was told his Healer had broken God’s rules. But no argument could overcome the truth. “He has to be good! I tell you, I’ve been blind all my life, but now I see! I say He’s from God!” For such a belief, he was ousted.

Upon hearing what happened to the poor man, Jesus searched him out to give a gift greater than sight. He gave Himself! “Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Who is he, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him, in fact, he is the one talking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and worshiped him.”

Notice Jesus did not say, “Do you want to say thanks to the One who healed you?” Jesus was revealing a grander picture. “Do you want to see the One everyone is longing to see?” When the man believed in the Son of Man, he worshiped.

One day everyone will see the Son of Man, and all will bow confessing Him King. But what about today? I thank him for my health, but that does not make Him King. He deserves my worship whether I stay free of cancer or not. This week, my dear friend fights for his life in ICU. Is Jesus still King? My friend, a true worshiper, would say, “He can give or take away… blessed be the Name of the Lord.” Will I?

Lord Jesus, may we be the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

Joe McReynolds and his family would appreciate prayer at this time. Joe has been in the hospital with heart difficulty. After numerous tests and various theories, doctors think a virus has impacted his heart. He also has battled pneumonia. Please pray for Joe. In the same week, Matt McReynolds, one of Joe and Sybil’s sons, had major eye surgery for a torn retina. Please pray for swift healing to take place. Thank you!