Category: The Resurrection

For November 7, 2021
A mentor once challenged me to use my mind constructively for Jesus Christ and for the manifestation His glorious and redemptive Kingdom principles. This challenge begged the question, “If we gave ourselves to the Lord completely, living according to the Bible, and trusting Him to fulfill His wonderful promises—what could happen?”

On the Day of Pentecost, twelve men would lead a movement—soon to be identified as The Way, and later as Christianity—would change the world through the telling and living of the message on the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Thus the answer to that question forces us not to depend on our abilities and enterprises exclusively. Because Jesus Christ is now the center of everything we say, think, and do, and we depend on Him exclusively.

But in retrospect, isn’t this how we as Christians are supposed to live anyway? Proverbs 16:9 (NLT) tells us, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Moreover, Psalm 37:23 tells us our steps are “ordered” by the Lord, who takes delight in every step we take.

Answering this question also means that our self-centered, self-glorifying plans, goals, and objectives should no longer be sought and followed, since they are now Christ-centered, God-honoring, and Bible-based,

The Bible teaches us to make no distinction between secular and sacred in the world, work, and life. To understand and follow the calling of God is to know and do His good, pleasing, and perfect will. It is to live by biblical priorities. It is to find in Christianity a circle big enough to embrace all of life and give it meaning, purpose, and direction.¹

Our thoughts, words, and actions will have to be filtered through a secondary set of lenses, “Will what I’m thinking, saying, or doing point someone to Christ?” Although for many, this second question has been answered both yes, and no, but at this turbulent and uncertain time in human history, it would be in our best interest to start and finish well in furthering the Kingdom by living out the principles of Ecclesiastes 12:1 and Psalm 92:14 (AKJV), “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth…They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.”

We will never experience complete spiritual and moral perfection in every phase of our human interactions with others. There will always be varying degrees of hatred, envy, selfishness, and apathy expressed towards our fellow human beings; otherwise, Christ would have had no need to come from Heaven to pay the price for our sin at Calvary. He is our wonderful example of grace and love, who forever pledges His support and Spirit-power so that we can live for Him.

But when we give ourselves to Him completely; surrendering every aspect of our lives, the Lord shows Himself as all-sufficient in supplying things beyond our control. He is especially competent at protecting, providing, and guiding us at the precise instant and in the precise manner we need from Him. This He will provide for us  because it suits His agenda, not ours,

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  John 15:16 (NKJV)

We are to bear His eternal fruit consistently. The more I live, the more I experience this divine truth, “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us!” 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV)

Once, an issue felt so overwhelming it precipitated intense fear, worry, and panic. Even though, I knew the Lord was with me. Without warning, someone called to inform me they were praying for me and reminded me of a Bible verse I have not since forgotten,

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10 (AKJV)

That incident reminded me how precise the Lord is with caring for His Children and providing exactly what they need at the precise time, and in the precise manner. The Lord abides with His Children, and He watches over us, even when we are not consciously aware of His presence (and providence).  Oh how the Lord continues to “show Himself strong” in our lives (2 Chronicles 16:9), especially during times when we are so very weak.

We deserve God’s wrath and condemnation. None of our works for the Lord engender boasting since they are merely what He expects of us,

When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’ Luke 17:7-10 (NLT)

Yet, the Lord lavishly provides His forgiveness, freedom, and joy. We can never be “good enough” to earn His consideration. But we can continue pressing toward the heavenly prize He has in store for all those who love His appearing (Philippians 3:14, 2 Timothy 4:8). This is all He requires from us all.

My life has not been a bed of roses, but it has been exceptional nonetheless. Although the “outer house” continues to decay, the “inner man” is renewing daily (2 Corinthians 4:16). And for this, I am eternally grateful for the Lord’s providence and faithfulness, as this old familiar hymn expresses,

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say²
Horatius Bonar (1808—1889)

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me, and rest; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast.” I came to Jesus as I was, Weary and worn and sad; I found in Him a resting place, And He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold, I freely give The living water thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live.” I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in Him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s Light; Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise, And all thy day be bright.” I looked to Jesus, and I found In Him my Star, my Sun; And in that Light of life I’ll walk Till trav ‘ling days are done.

What a Wonderful Savior!

For October 31, 2021
During His last Passover Seder, on the night before He went to the Cross, Jesus self-authenticates a New Covenant with His followers forever,

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NIV).

In this intimate gathering, Jesus institutes a solemn memorial of His passion and death that features His body and blood, the Lord’s Supper, “In remembrance of me” implies we publicly and regularly observe the Lord’s death to remind ourselves of His redeeming work. Jesus promises to share this memorial with us in Heaven upon his return,

But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom (Matthew 26:29 NKJV).

Thus, we are not to perform this act callously or frivolously. Nor do we observe this church ordinance in seclusion. Instead, we solemnly partake of two elements publically: the bread to symbolize our Lord’s body offered on Calvary’s cross as our complete sacrifice, and the wine to symbolize the blood He shed to remediate our sin, at a designate time in a local church.

Jesus’ redemptive sacrifice was necessary. Adam and Eve’s original disobedience in the Garden of Eden subjected us to God’s judgment. We are sinners by hereditary transmission and can never earn God’s favor on our merit.

Only God is just, right, and holy while we are not. His justice demands payment for sin, and His righteousness requires our total obedience to His standards (the Law). His holiness necessitates our utter perfection—in every aspect of our being.

The payment for sin is death. Jesus speaks of death, encompassing our banishment to a fiery Hell where worms never die and where tormenting fires burn forever (Mark 9:48).

Initially, God instructed Moses to use a sacrificial offering to remediate our sin,

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul (Leviticus 17:11 NKJV).

Although God gave instructions to use a “clean” animal’s blood to cover sin, it was not a permanent fix since we had to repeat the process.

Instead, it foreshadowed the restitution Christ would provide to completely wash away our sins, make us righteous, and restore our lost fellowship with God,

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Peter 1:18-19 NIV)

Through the Lord’s Supper, we demonstrate our faith in Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, who paid the full price for our sin. We also show that in Him, we find our dependence on Him for our spiritual life and vitality.

Further, we show our hope of eternal life through His resurrection from the dead. The Lord commands us to eat and drink of the Lord’s Supper until He eats and drinks it with us anew in the Kingdom of God.

What a Wonderful Savior!

For September 26, 2021
The Bible does not provide us with the exact time and place where Nicodemus met with Jesus. John tells us it happened during Passover, which is a major Jewish observance that runs concurrently with the Feast of Unleavened Bread; from the fourteenth day through the twenty-first day of the first month of the Jewish calendar or Nisan.¹

During this week of feasting and celebration, massive throngs of people flooded Jerusalem from all over the world as every Jewish male was required to attend this observance to commemorate Israel’s Exodus from Egyptian slavery (see: Exodus 12:1-13:16, 23:17; 34:23).²

Yet in the midst of all the festive merry-making, Nicodemus yearned for more—he wanted to meet Jesus. Something intrigued him about the Lord. Perhaps it was His many miracles, or maybe it was His remarkable teachings about the Kingdom of God that resonated within his heart such as,

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3-10 (NIV)

It could have been the stories from people whose lives had been changed completely after they met Jesus that fascinated him. Ultimately, there was something about Jesus that was most captivating to Nicodemus, as one author notes:

[Nicodemus] recognized in Jesus something he had never yet encountered. He was so impressed that he sought a private interview with this new teacher, and arranged an appointment with Jesus “by night.” The fact that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night certainly is no evidence of cowardice on his part. It was the natural thing to do.³

Although their meeting was outside the norm since both the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin opposed Jesus, Nicodemus saw it as crucial. Ultimately, it would help him find the answer to the age-old question many of his contemporaries were asking: “Is this teacher our long-awaited Messiah?”

At Sinai, Moses yearned for more of God, but God warned that a physical encounter between the finite and infinite would be impossible without mediation or shield (my emphasis),

The LORD replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” The LORD continued, “Look, stand near me on this rock. As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.” Exodus 33:19-23 (NLT)

In the Old Testament, one unfiltered look at God was too much for any mortal. So, God placed Moses in a cleft on the mount. Then as He passed by, Moses  caught a brief glimpse of God’s glory from behind. Nevertheless, one brief glimpse at God’s backside illuminated Moses’ face to the extent he veiled his face to keep from frightening others (Exodus 34:28–35, 2 Corinthians 3:12–18).

Now in this New Testament Age, Jesus Christ is the embodiment of everything we will ever want to know or experience about God, and His Holy Spirit gives us access to the presence and power of God in His fullest measure,

For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. Colossians 2:9-12 (NLT)

Our God is morally and spiritually perfect, and glorious in His holiness. This trait encapsulates the very core of His being. The Old Testament word that describes something sacred or holy (Hebrew: qados) depicts God as the One who has a pure, undefiled quality of essence, which separates Him (or “cut off”) from anything in His group or class.⁴ He is the one, true, holy God!

The New Testament counterpart (Greek: hagios) describes God as pure, blameless, sacred; distinct from what is common or normal and conveys the idea of bestowing reverence.⁵

Therefore, whether we read the Old or New Testament, the message is clear: holiness is predicated on God, who alone is pure, majestic, and glorious—our God is holy and without equal.

Proverbs 25:2 tells us that our Lord has chosen to conceal the full extent of His grandeur and majesty, while Psalm 147:5 (NLT) reads: “How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!” However, when we express a sacred devotion or sanctity toward God (or get real with God), He is faithful to reveal His loving, captivating radiance to us.

In the Old Testament, God commands His people to be holy, just as He is holy (Leviticus 20:26). Likewise, in the New Testament, Jesus states we are to live our lives with “no part dark” (Luke 11:36). One can only imagine the impact we’d make within our families, churches, communities, nation, and the world if more of us lived our lives with “no part dark.” It would certainly free us from a world filled with all forms of greed, hatred, deceit, bondage and exploitation. How much safer would our world be if we lived like this? I can only imagine!

As finite and fallible creatures, achieving His holiness through sanctification is impossible without His intervention. God’s life-changing Spirit compels us to revere His creation with a sober view of His eternal being. This will help us pursue His moral and spiritual perfection with all sincerity and dedication.

When we come to God with a new appreciation for His all-encompassing presence and dominion, we can no longer express indifference and ambivalence towards Him because we are driven to present a sincere, reverent, intentional Christ-centered way of living that involves our deliberate participation.

God is a life-changing Spirit whose incredible majesty and splendor compel us to revere Him with a sober view of His eternal being. As we yearn for more of God by surrendering to Christ daily; allowing His Spirit to reign in us, we can grow closer to God in all phases of our lives. We also develop a strong sense of piety and reverence toward God that causes us to crave an even deeper level of intimacy with the Lord.

Over time, it becomes easier to invite Him to reign in every area of our lives so that we can reflect His holiness as Proverbs 4:18 (NLT) indicates, “The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.” Won’t you yearn for more God today?

What a Wonderful Savior!