Sabbatical: Day 7

Early today we come to the Garden Tomb. Just above us looms Golgotha, the features of a skull are clearly seen these two thousand years after the murder of Jesus on that place. There are no crosses standing there, no markers and no shrine. It is my opinion that even to this day most people want to avoid the cross and that is why there is not a shrine there. I see that cross, the pain, the agony, the suffering and death. But what I sense most is "alone". Jesus called out to God from that cross, "why have you forsaken me"? In my heart I know that Jesus loves me enough to face death for me. The guiltless, sinless and perfect Son of God gave his life as the sacrifice for my sin and suffered rejection to pay a price that I could never pay. Because of this I have approach to God and the option of eternal life. Eternity will not be long enough for me to sing his praise. Serving him here is insufficient to show my gratitude. By walking a few steps to the east and rounding a short partition wall I am in the garden where the borrowed tomb is located. (I think this partition is a sound barrier for street traffic) Several hundred people are here and great preparation for our service and communion. Pastors Matthew and John Hagee sing and preach and praise in sweet leadership as my thoughts turn from the cross to that "EMPTY" tomb. The songs were all well known and familiar but there impact was amplified, multiplied a million times as I gazed into the door of an empty room. My Saviour lives! The tomb could not hold him. Jesus returned to us, alive, having placed his perfect blood sacrifice on the golden alter before the throne. I can say without doubt; He lives in Heaven and in my heart. This communion service will be one of my sweetest memories of this trip. As I celebrated the body and blood of my Saviour I doubled my commitment to our relationship and my service to my fellow man. I experienced a "new birth".....again. 

The remainder of the day, my last day, was spent at two memorials, The Holocaust and Friends of Israel. I learned much of the history of the second world war from my family as a boy. Their stories did not prepare me for this day or these memorials. I won't write much here. I will say that the spirit, the hate and the evil that lived in the Nazi effort is in our world once again in these Radical Muslims. I pray that the world does not turn it's back on Israel.    

Shut up!

I so often hear preachers saying "Don't Judge" in one sentence and then listening to them tear apart someone or something in a judgmental way for the next half hour. The truth is that we must judge everything, and everybody, in order to make any decisions in life. I think we need to approach Judging from a different direction. Instead of foolishly jumping on the "Don't Judge" bandwagon we need to seek out wisdom and love to control our responses "after" we judge. I am persuaded that wisdom and love are in short supply. Wisdom is missing when we respond with the speed and power of a lightning bolt to our judgement. Love is missing when we verbalize our judgement. I will judge you, your actions and your motives. This is normal and it is not a sin. The sin happens when I fail to keep my judgments to myself and spew them out on others. God sends his Holy Spirit to indwell us. If we will but surrender to the leadership of this spirit, less hurt, separation and anger will result from our Judgement.

S.O.A.P.

3-6-2015         Romans 9:19-25

S.       19 Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

O.      God decides who will be his people based on mercy, not the nation of birth.

A.      I have been brought into a right standing with God by the blood of Jesus. I was not born into God’s grace, I was bought by sacrifice.

P.       Father; grant me wisdom to live a life that is pleasing to you. Grant me strength of will to overcome my fleshly desires that are an insult to your sacrifice. Fill me with love and compassion for all people. Amen.

Martyrs

Christians are being killed, displaced and sold into slavery by Islamic criminals and the world is simply watching. Are we back in the Roman Coliseum? Have we become so desensitized by the bashing of Christians that happens every day in American politics, television and media that we really don't care? Where is the outrage, the sympathy, the justice or the protection? Wake up, repent, and speak out and let the president and congress know.......one life is just as important as another. If these crimes were being committed on homosexual people or black people the full might of the World would be brought to bear.......and it would be stopped. What hypocrisy!

9-21-2014           Mark 2:20-22

S.       20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

O.      All things must become new……to hold and keep the blessings of God!

A.      I must be a new man, not patched or recycled. Only God can make me into a new man as I surrender and obey his law and love.

P.       Father; thank you for inviting me into your family, for adopting me, for seeing in me something of worth that you could desire. I am yours, now, and forever. Amen.