Steadfast and Conquer

The hour in which we live right now calls for “Be ye Steadfast, Unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord!” To be Steadfast, Unmovable calls for a spirit of a Conqueror. It is pretty well know what Steadfast and Conqueror means, but as always we need a “deeper” understanding of these words that we might comprehend the fullness of what God is saying in His Word. To be Steadfast is to be firmly fixed!  Firm in belief and determined to not waver; Faithful!  We understand what Faithful means in marriage, but do we have the same knowledge of being Faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ?  Faithful; Unmovable, Steadfast in our Bible Reading, our Prayer life, our commitment to Worship and in our Giving? Faithful is “overcoming!”  and “overcoming” is “Victory after hard struggle.”  We are often burdened with various struggles in this day and age and we find it is most difficult at times to be Victorious, Steadfast, and Overcoming.  We know of Jesus Struggle with death, and the relinquishing of His will, that He might be Unmovable in His Sacrifice that brought about our Salvation. Jesus abounded in the work of His Father, as you might remember even as a child of about 12, He said, “I must be about My Father’s Business.” Jesus was Steadfast, Unmovable, and Faithful, overcoming the weakness of His flesh to be the Sacrificial Lamb for all humanity.  This Message is about revisiting our commitment to Christ. It is a known fact that Christianity has been lulled into a false relaxation. We are called to be warriors, conquerors, Overcomers, defeating our struggles and unmoved by the temptations of our day.  It is for the cause of God’s Kingdom that we abound in His Word, the Power of His Spirit and are Faithful to adhere to His Instructions. Our time has arrived to “Vanquish” the works of darkness – To Vanquish is to “Over Power Completely!” O God give us a Steadfast Spirit in our day that we might not be moved by the stresses of the enemy, nor his temptations to be at ease and world-like.  Let the Church Pray for a good old fashion revival that will quench our unkind attitude, our lack of preferring one another, the absence of a strong Faith, and cause our temperament to be more like Jesus! May be we Steadfast, Unmovable and Overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and love not our lives more then we love our God. In Salvation we are more than a Conqueror, we are well able to stand against the wiles of the devil for Christ rules and He is all powerful!   Loving you, Pastor

A Week in the Life of Christ

In our system of a “week” we see Jesus moving toward the Cross, toward our destiny, toward His Suffering, toward our Salvation and it is begins with Palm Sunday. The day of the waving of the Palm leaves. The day of shallow Praises, weak worship, heartless blessings of the Messiah and the rebuke of the children. A day of deep sorrow and Jesus weeping, not for Himself, but for those who did not discern the depth of this day of His Visitation. Jesus sends Peter and John to prepare the Passover meal. It was at this very meal that Jesus imparted to us the “Emblems of Holy Communion, the Eucharist.” The meaning of Eucharist is powerful: it is gratitude, favor, Grace, and Spiritual Communion with God. All this Jesus did for us by offering Himself as our Lamb of Sacrifice.  As He came to the City of Jerusalem, His new followers begin to express their outward Praises. “Outward,” because their heart was far from Him. “They spread their garments in the way, took branches of Palm trees and went forth shouting, “Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel. Hosanna in the Highest!” Some of the very voices that praised Him would cry out Crucify Him! When the children cried out “Hosanna to the Son of David! It displeased the Chief Priest and Jesus pointed them to Ps. 8:2.The journey into Jerusalem is called the Triumphal Entry, Matt. Mark, Luke, and John record this occasion. Jesus did this to fulfill Prophecy: [Zech 9:9]. As He came near the city, “He wept over it; Saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!  Jesus visited the temple, saw the money changers, drove them out and proclaimed, “My House is the House of Prayer! He Visited Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Very Important moment: Mary Anointed His Feet with ointment of spikenard and when Judas Iscariot complained about the cost of the ointment, Jesus said: “Let her alone: against the day of My burying hath she kept this.” O Rejoice greatly Child of God! Our King is Coming!   Loving you, Pastor

His Side Pierced for Us

The fourth point of these Lenten Messages concerns Jesus side. As His time on the Cross is coming to a close we note the “Seven” things He said from the Cross. It would be well for us to hear the depth of these sayings. [1] “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.” [Lk.23:34] This is seen in Scripture as the rulers “derided” Jesus, saying He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He be Christ, the chosen of God.” [Lk. 23:43] [2] Jesus spoke with compassion to the thief who turned Him: “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” [3] When Jesus saw His Mother, “Woman, behold thy son, and to John He said, Behold thy Mother.” [John 19:26-27]  [4] Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lama sa bach tha ni? That is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? [Matt. 27: 46] [5] Jesus knowing that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.” [John 19:30]  [6] Again Jesus cries with a loud voice: “Father into Thy hands I commend My spirit:” [Luke 23:46]  [7] Jesus said “It is Finished: He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.”[John 19:30]   The sun was darkened over all the earth and the veil of the Temple was rent in twain from top to bottom! Now we can go boldly unto the Presence of God! It is now that the final point of our Message unfolds: John 19:33-34  “When they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear Pierced His side, and forthwith came there out Blood and Water.”  I have given a lot of thought to this moment over the years as we approach this season of Jesus suffering. This is not a Doctrine, just a thought to ponder: Perhaps as the Blood and Water flowed from His Side, the Holy Spirit of Promise entered into the earth! His Blood to cover our sins and His Holy Spirit to bring Truth and Comfort.  John is the only one who writes of this Piercing, He also writes in 1 John 5: about the Water and the Blood and the Spirit. Some think of the Water as the Word, others think of the Water as the Spirit. Little is said about this moment at the foot of the Cross. Most theologians talk about the “washing of the Word” and the Cleansing of the Blood unto Salvation. And always as they discuss, I hear the Spirit attached! Jesus said; “If I go away the Comforter will come.”  As He left this earth, the Blood and Water poured forth from His Side – His Side was riven for us and the Holy Ghost arrived!  Loving you, Pastor