Wednesday of Holy Week

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
Matthew 26:14-16 NKJV

Most young people dread it. They see it as the end to what they believe is their carefree time of life. In terms of where I was on the timeline of my life, "the Big 3-0" was the worst birthday I ever had. And yet, Jesus' ministry didn't start until He reached the Big 3-0. Interesting...

And three-and-a-half short, yet power-packed years later, Jesus hits a different Big 3-0. It is the Wednesday of Holy Week, and the day that Judas sought to betray Jesus. One translation reads Judas "covenanted with" the priests for thirty pieces of silver. I found that to be very interesting given that the only way out of a covenant was death. Thirty pieces of silver. The price of about a month's wages, according to some. The price of betrayal, according to ALL.

Most of us have been betrayed at one time or another. It's especially hurtful when it's a family member or trusted friend AND it usually comes as a great shock to us. Wouldn't you agree? However, Jesus - who knew Judas would be His betrayer - knelt before Judas and washed his feet and sat at the dinner table with him and shared a meal. Loving in anticipation of it. Loving in the execution of it. Love poured out to cover the multitude of sins, if we’ll choose it.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for Your plan of salvation. Thank You for the redemption from our sin-soaked lives. Cause us to be ever mindful that apart from Your grace and mercy, we don't have a prayer. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - The Price is Right

[Jesus speaking] I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again.
John 14:27-28a NLT

I hate shopping. A few years back, I had occasion to go to a mall for a specific shopping trip with some ladies from church. I haven't been to a mall in years, and if Jesus tarries, I may never go back. I came out of there feeling as though I had lived a sheltered life - and if you know me at all, you know I have not - and yet, I was appalled at some of the things I saw there.

But I digress, what I really wanted to tell you about was this one HUGE gumball machine I saw. It was one of those new ones - an action gumball machine. No more do you have the put-the-coin-in-twist-the-knob-gumball-drops-out kind of machine. Now it goes through loops and hoops and entertains you before it ever gets to the dispenser. And by the way, it's not a penny or a nickel, it's a quarter - for one gumball! - but even that wasn't what caught my eye.

The machine was advertising "Peace of Mind" for a quarter. Yes, you read that correctly. Peace of mind... Just drop your quarter in, twist the knob, and watch the gumball / jawbreaker / whatever it was, come jumping through the hoops and loops and deliver peace of mind straight into your waiting fingers. In my mind, I just kept hearing Rod Roddy boom out, "This, too, can be yours if the Price is Right!"

I was struck to the very core of my being by the deception of all satan's lies being boiled down into a gumball machine. To think that peace can be obtained by purchasing anything that feeds your senses is a lie. That's counterfeit like every other lie satan sells and marketing has built an entire economy on it. We want it cheaper and faster and we'll swap it all if we can have it now. We don't want to make the commitment for excellence or to wait for those things worth waiting for. And the world wants to sell it to you - for a quarter - from a gumball machine at the mall. This, too, can be yours if the Price is Right!

Jesus said, I am leaving you with A GIFT - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give... Jesus paid the price - the highest price - and then He gave it to us as a gift. satan wants you to sell your soul. What price will you pay?

Prayer:

Father,
           Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still! We want Your peace, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

It Happened On a Monday

But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway.
Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
“Which of the two obeyed his father?” They replied, “The first.”
Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.”
Matthew 21:28-31 NLT

This was Jesus' teaching on the day following His triumphant entry into Jerusalem - what we refer to as Palm Sunday. If we'd heard this exchange between the father and the first son, many of us would have offered our opinion about parenting such disobedience, and how to fix it Texas style - quick, fast and in a hurry.

This is one more illustrated sermon of God looking at the heart of a person rather than what is seen on the outside. I believe He was trying to drive home the point to His disciples before the nails were driven home.

It's not so much what we do when people are watching. If we'd taken this parable at face value with one son saying no way and the other agreeing to go, we'd have gotten it all wrong.

Do we do the same thing? Do our hearts convict us? Do we hear AND obey? Do we reason ourselves into obedience or into rebellion?

It's Monday following Palm Sunday - how does your Monday appear to have gone?

Prayer:

Father,
            Let our hearts and minds be renewed in You so that they ALWAYS override our poor choices - especially those made for appearances' sake. Help us, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Palm Sunday

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

Isaiah 53:4-6 NLT

It is the beginning of what is commonly known as Holy Week; yet there is nothing common about it. Do you know the story? Do you ken what Christ for God did for us?

 

Prayer:

Father,
            How can we ever thank You enough? The answer is simple... we cannot. We want to go where You want us to go, Lord. We want to do what You would have us do. We want to fulfill Your expectation of us; the plan You have for each of our lives. Help us, O God, our Lord and Redeemer. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

 

A Place to Stay

Then an expert in the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens, and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Matthew 8:19-20 New English Translation

In the resources that expound on this verse, the one on Bible Gateway tells us that "according to Matthew 4:13, Jesus made His home in Capernaum, so in spite of the common interpretation of this statement, Jesus was not technically homeless." More than likely His reply had to do with the increasing opposition and rejection He and His disciples were encountering, so the question amounted to this: Does the man who wants to follow Him understand the rejection he will be facing? 

As I was reading this today, I thought of the King James Version of the Scripture found in Psalm 22 that says God inhabits the praise of His people, and I wondered, have we given Him a place to stay? Or do we expect Him to find a room in between the latest episodes of whatever we are binge-watching?

Is there enough praise in our lives to provide a place for Him to inhabit?

Prayer:

Father,
          According to Your Word in Ezekiel 36:26, please give me a new heart, and put a new spirit in me. Take out my stony, stubborn heart and give me a tender, responsive heart. One that is overflowing with praise for You. I want You to be comfortable in my heart with plenty of room to dwell. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Wow!

And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more. No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life.
Isaiah 65:19b-20a NLT

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Philippians 3:20 NLT

In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”

Isaiah 2:2-3 NLT

My oldest brother passed away 6 weeks ago. However, I was privileged to spend the last few days of his time here on Earth in his home with him and with his immediate family. There are sweet, sweet memories to be held close, but as I was thinking about Ron today, I wanted to share a couple, and one in particular. 

It has been my experience with those I've had the privilege of being with in the days before their transition from this world to the next, that they often seem to have an eye on both places. They often 'see' or 'talk' to family or loved ones who have gone before. I can't explain that, I won't even try, but I know what I have witnessed. With Ron, he greeted Mom several times as though she had walked into the room - in the hospital, and again when he came home with hospice care... (Mom passed away 25 years ago.) He would be talking to us one minute and greeting her the next...and that was before he gave permission for pain medications. He told us he had to go. 

Two nights before he died, he woke up from a sound sleep and was looking beyond his daughter, his face animated as he exclaimed, "Wow! Wow! Do you see that? It's so beautiful! Can you see the mountain?!? Wow!! It's just so beautiful!! " The next morning, we were talking with him and he said we had to get dressed for the wedding and he was concerned that not everyone had the right clothes on to go to the wedding. I am convinced he was seeing Heaven and referring to the wedding garment of Matthew 22. Yes, I'd say 'Wow!', too!

Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for the comfort You bring to us with the promises in Your Word. And thank You for the proof and Truth You provide of our loved ones' place in eternity. Send people to water the Word that has been spoken and planted and Father, give the increase as You have also promised. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Present Ourselves

Repay no one evil for evil. Commend what is honest in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to God’s wrath, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine. I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so you will heap coals of fire on his head.”Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:17-21 Modern English Version (MEV)

For years, we have heard 'present your bodies a living sacrifice' - but have we ever stopped to ponder that phrase? In reality, more than half the time we don't want to sacrifice our place in the line of traffic to let a truck pull in front of us on the road! So, how many of us would present ourselves to be sacrificed?

"You want me to what?!? Feed him when he's hungry? Give him a drink when he's thirsty? I'd rather You give me the shovel so I can bury him in those coals of fire!"

A living sacrifice knows what it's facing and chooses to follow Christ's example in spite of the circumstances or the danger that awaits. Yes, Christ's example. As the writer of Hebrews declares, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame...

So, how many of us would present ourselves to be sacrificed?

Jesus did. He became our Living Sacrifice. We are to be like Him and lay our lives down [willingly] as a living sacrifice.

Prayer:

Father,
           Open our eyes and hearts to see and know the Truth of Your Word this night. Accept our bodies as a living sacrifice to You and to Your will. May they be pleasing in Your sight. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A HIGH PRICE

My Pastor wrote this devotional for today. I found it to be very thought-provoking and a powerful Truth.

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Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. 21 “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 22 I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.
23 “And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. 24 I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.”
Matthew 11:20 -24 NLT

There is a high price for receiving God’s goodness and not changing. While God loves us and desires to bless us, He also desires that those blessings lead us away from our sin. The towns that Jesus had performed mighty miracles remained unchanged, and that lack of change brought judgement. Let us not take for granted God’s kindness and many blessings! God is leading us away from our selfish sinful nature, because that nature brings death and destruction for the present and for eternity. RECEIVE THE BLESSING AND EMBRACE THE CHANGE!

Whose Legacy?

The previous generation has set boundaries in place. Don’t you dare move them just to benefit yourself.

Proverbs 22:28 TPT (The Passion Translation)

Today, Gentry Burton delivered a powerful teaching on this Scripture. I encourage you to hear it for yourself (see below for a link to the recorded sermon). She is a gifted speaker.

The footnote in the Bible for this Scripture offers the following explanation about not moving the boundary stones to benefit yourself. "This refers to moving property lines of your neighbors to take more land, or it could mean moving landmarks and memorials placed there by ancestors. It also speaks to the moral boundaries that the previous generation modeled—they are to be upheld."

Gentry's most powerful point today was this - "What we give permission to operate in our lives, we give authority to operate in our legacy." One illustration was David who was known as a man after God's own heart who gave himself permission to lust after Bathsheba which later manifested in the next generation in Absalom who raped his sister, and also in Solomon who according to Scripture had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray (1 Kings 11). King Solomon gave permission for false gods and idol worship in the latter days of his reign, and a handful of subsequent generations later found King Ahab abolishing any and all worship of the one true God.

So the points to ponder:

The Grace of God is not there to excuse our disobedience. 

Are we setting up boundary stones for the benefit of our legacy or have we moved them? 

What ARE the boundary stones in our lives?

Ephesians 6:12 in the Passion Translation reads, Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage.

We must keep fighting with faith to set the boundary stones for the generations of our legacy until Jesus comes!

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for a great Word today. Drive it deep into our spirits so that we fully embrace Your legacy to set the boundary stones for those coming after us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

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Gentry's teaching begins at 27:21. It's less than 25 minutes long. https://www.facebook.com/lifecc.tv/videos/466153758151277 

Praise Ye the Lord

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.

Psalm 150:6 NIV

Tonight, I just want to praise the Lord. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP-00EwLdiU&list=RDshSzCKwpJJI&index=2

About Believing

Abram believed the Lord, and he [God] credited it to him [Abram] as righteousness.

Genesis 15:6 NIV

There is much to be said for believing. There is much more to be said for taking action based on what we believe. It's easy to say we believe something. The real proof is how we respond when it comes to what we claim to believe.

In Mark 9:23-24, Jesus says to the child's father, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Let me throw this question out there. If we say we believe God's Word, why don't we act upon it? Are we afraid? Do we fear what people will think, see or say?

Revelation 21, John tells us, And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” 

Do we believe we are made new? Do we live like it?

Prayer:

Father,
           In response to Your declaration that all things are possible to him who believes, we cry out as the father of the child did, “Lord, we believe; help our unbelief!” We want to be living proof of You, O God! We know Your perfect love casts out fear because Your Word tells us it is so. And we believe Your Word. Help us to live like it. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

He's Always There

The distance around the city shall be 18,000 [4 x 4,500] measures; and the name of the city from that day and ever after shall be, The Lord is There.

Ezekiel 48:35 The Amplified Bible

All of my Christian walk, I have heard how God is "always there" for us, even when it doesn't feel like He is. In fact, sometimes it feels as though I've been abandoned, but I know that's not the Truth, and here's how I know that for certain.

The Names of God reveal His character. His character is who He is - He said Himself, He does not change. God was so intent on revealing this consuming part of His character to His people, that throughout the old and new testaments, how many instances can you think of off the top of your head where Scripture talks about His presence in the tabernacle and/or in the temple? He wanted it to be very clear that He is 'always there' for us.

Jehovah-Shammah "The Lord is There." His Word fulfilled. Our bodies are temples of the living God; Christ lives inside of us. So what we have is His presence there in His temple. Always...

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for always being there with us and for us even when we can't see you. Help us to remember You are always there and walk and live accordingly. Lord, may we always be aware of Your precious presence in our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What'd You Do?

As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Mark 10:17 NLT

I've heard this story taught from every angle about money, but I think even though according to 1st Timothy 6:10, ...the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows, the root of this particular young man's trouble was in his I. What must I do to inherit eternal life? as though it was within the young man's power to do whatever it took to obtain eternal life. His reluctance and refusal to sell all that he had exposed his pride in his possessions and self-worth/sufficiency.

It is only through Christ - the way, the truth and the life - that we can get to the Father (John 14:6). Acts 4:12 tells us, There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.

What'd you DO to obtain eternal life? We called on His Name - the only Name by which we must be saved.

Prayer:

Father,
             Open our eyes to see the truth about ourselves and what we hold most dear. Open our hearts to fully receive Your Word and to walk in understanding of it. Expose everything in our lives that is out of order when it comes to our relationship with You and anything that puts us in danger of self-sufficiency and pride. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Spoken to Me

Nothing is more appealing than speaking beautiful, life-giving words. For they release sweetness to our souls and inner healing to our spirits.
Proverbs 16:24 TPT - The Passion Translation

February was a brutal month for my family. However, in the midst of it all, what I'm remembering most (and best!) are beautiful, life-giving words that were spoken or written or texted to me at just the precise moment I needed the sustenance they provided to my weary soul. 

Precious family, dear friends, kind strangers. All orchestrated by a loving God to be in my life exactly with what I needed when I needed it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Prayer:

Father,

          You are such a loving Father to provide for Your children in ways we cannot even begin to express that we need. Thank You seems as though it is not enough. Please hear my heart, Lord. And bless the sweetness back to those who so willingly gave it. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

On Us

[Jesus speaking] By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

John 13:35

It's easy to see love between people - whether romantic love or that of friendship. There are defining markers. Sweet people, kind people are often described as loving. The world's adage is that "Love is blind." I don't buy that exactly, but when love is involved, one has different reactions given the same circumstances. Yes, that's true even in the simplest of things. For instance, think of things you would let someone in your family do or "get away with," but if a total stranger did the same thing, you'd be up in arms. That's what I'm talking about.

Peter describes that reaction best in 1st Peter 4:8 NLT ...love covers a multitude of sins. Not covers them like hiding them, but covers them in forgiveness. Forgiving and not holding it against them. In truth, Peter encourages us to continue to show deep love for each other for that very reason.

Innate mercy and a full measure of grace flow from loving. It is the Father's example toward us. Think of the mercy and grace in our own lives - the sins that have been covered because of His great love. Really think on that. It is immeasurable and full of grace and it's on us. It is overwhelming.

He calls us His own. He lays claim to you and to me. Gives us His Name and the inheritance that comes with being a child of the Most High. We didn't earn it. It's love, pure and holy and righteous love. The world will know that we are His, if we have love for one another... It's on us to exhibit His love. Can they tell it's on us?

Prayer:

Father,
          We want to live in love - with You and with all those You've put in our path. Manifest Your light in us so that others will be drawn by it. May only what is pure and righteous and holy be poured out from us to those around us. We want to be like You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen