Blog 03-31-2011

Thursday

PRaP 03-31-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 154

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Grieves Over Jerusalem”

Luke 13:31-35

 

³¹ At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

 ³² He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ ³³ In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!

   ³⁴ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. ³⁵ Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’^[a]”

 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  He grieved at how empty they are.  Even today they are struggling.  But it isn’t just Jerusalem that’s struggling the whole world is in a state of confusion and struggling.  My brothers and sisters in Christ we are in a time like no other time be sure your house is in order and be sure you know where your heart is.  The time is short and there will be even worse things to come as it is written in God’s word.  The signs are prevalent and antichrist is even now on the move be on the lookout for things to come that have to come to pass before our Lord Jesus returns.  The warrior has His horse at the ready and will mount soon.  His robes pure and white and He will pull His sword from His mouth and destroy all things not of God.  He will take up His own and lay waste to the evil that prevails in this dominion.  He will cleanse and purify His place that we will all live in freedom for eternity.  Set your heart to Him who saves and reach for His hand, as He wants you to be with Him in His Fathers House, which has many rooms.  For in Christ alone we will be rescued from this future.  For in Christ alone can we prevail.  The time is short are you ready?

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 03-30-2011

Wednesday

PRaP 03-30-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 153

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Teaches About Entering The Kingdom”

Luke 13:22-30

 

²² Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. ²³ Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

   He said to them, ²⁴ “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. ²⁵ Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

   “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

   ²⁶ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

   ²⁷ “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

   ²⁸ “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. ²⁹ People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

 

This teaching is so difficult for some people to grasp so let me give it to you in simple terms.  You can give all the lip service you want and go to church every Sunday or whenever you go to church and the things you say may bring some to Salvation through Jesus Christ but He wants your heart not your works.  You can sit in a pew and pray and sing but if you do not give Him all of you then you will be one of the ones that sit outside the door weeping because you will not be allowed in.  Those with the heart of a servant and the spirit of a child who have given their all to Him who Saves will be allowed in.  Those who have given themselves to the belief that Jesus Christ has died and was risen to pay the price for their sins will enter the door.  Grace alone is what we should be depending on and that Grace can only come from our One True Love and that is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 03-29-2011

Tuesday

PRaP 03-29-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 152

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Religious Leaders Surround Jesus At The Temple”

John 10:22-42

 

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication^[a] at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. ²⁴ The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

 ²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, ²⁶ but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all^[b]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

 ³¹ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, ³² but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

 ³³ “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

 ³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’^[c]? ³⁵ If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— ³⁶ what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? ³⁷ Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. ³⁸ But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” ³⁹ Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

 ⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, ⁴¹ and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” ⁴² And in that place many believed in Jesus.

 

Many men and women of God cannot get the Truth out to people who do not believe the Truth.  Jesus plainly showed He and the Father are One yet these leaders with their knowledge didn’t even see it.  Again He speaks of the sheep of His pen being able to hear His voice and come running to Him.  I keep those running shoes on my feet so when He calls my name I can go running to Him.  I tell you the truth I have heard Him and I have gone running to Him when He has called and when I didn’t come He came to me to see why I didn’t come.  Many who read this will laugh and say I am crazy yet many more come with me when Jesus calls our names.  Many will come to the gate but only a few will be allowed to enter.  What is your standing?  Is your name written in the Book of Life?  Knowledge is nothing without wisdom and wisdom doesn’t always come with knowledge.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 03-28-2011

Monday

PRaP 03-28-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 151

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Is The Good Shepherd”

John 10:1-21

 

¹ “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

 ⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

   ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

   ¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ 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.”

 ¹⁹ The Jews who heard these words were again divided. ²⁰ Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”

 ²¹ But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

 

Take a look at whom you worship.  Be careful not to worship the man that God has sent to teach you.  Be sure that your focus stays upon the Jesus Christ that God has sent to us for our Salvation.  We have a tendency to flock to the one who speaks the sweetness of words that tickle the ears and have a smell of flowers.  I tell you the truth one day you will have to take a bite of that sweetness and it will be bitter to the taste and will sour your stomach.  For Christ alone is whom we should be worshipping.  Not some silver tongued man who has eloquence of word and education for the teachers of the law had such education and if they didn’t repent of their ways are today in judgment.  Fear not a man that can only take a life but fear the One who can take both life and soul.  He is the One you need to concern yourselves and your families with.  Override the things of this Earth with the things of the Holy Spirit and allow yourself to truly live with Him who walks even today.  For He is the Gate and no one will enter unless He calls them in.  He knows your name!  Will you hear when He calls?

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 03-24-2011

Thursday

PRaP 03-24-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 150

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Teaches About Spiritual Blindness”

John 9:35-41

 

For those of you reading for the first time I recommend you review John 9:1-34 before continuing here.

 

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

 ³⁶ “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

 ³⁷ Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

 ³⁸ Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

 ³⁹ Jesus said,^[a] “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

 ⁴⁰ Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

 ⁴¹ Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

 

I was once blinded by the world and what it has to offer and I followed their gods and their idols of worship.  I was trapped and in bondage to their slavery not knowing where to go.  I was as a lost sheep in a deep culvert with no way out until I saw a bright light shining.  It wasn’t like any of the city lights it was brighter more vivid and clear.  What I saw was the Light of Jesus Christ our Salvation.  He took me and like a sheep needing shearing He sheared me of all my worldly possessions and washed me in His blood and then clothed me in His robe that I was purified and made Holy in His sight.  He teaches me daily of how I should live and even though I have lived the majority of my life here on Earth in darkness He has rescued me and He will rescue you from the darkness you live so that you too can shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, that He may guide our feet into the path of peace.

Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 03-22-2011

Tuesday

PRaP 03-22-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 149

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Religious Leaders Question The Blind Man”

John 9:13-34

 

¹³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. ¹⁴ Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. ¹⁵ Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

 ¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

   But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.

 ¹⁷ Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

   The man replied, “He is a prophet.”

 ¹⁸ They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. ¹⁹ “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

 ²⁰ “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. ²¹ But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” ²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. ²³ That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

 ²⁴ A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”

 ²⁵ He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

 ²⁶ Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

 ²⁷ He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

 ²⁸ Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! ²⁹ We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”

 ³⁰ The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. ³² Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

 ³⁴ To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

 

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.  I once was lost but now I am found.  I was blind but now I see.  What more could you ask for?  What more can I add to such a perfect thing?

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 03-21-2011

Monday

PRaP 03-21-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 148

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Heals The Man Who Was Born Blind”

John 9:1-12

 

¹ As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

   ³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴ As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

 ⁶ After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

 ⁸ His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Some claimed that he was.

   Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

   But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

 ¹⁰ “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

 ¹¹ He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

 ¹² “Where is this man?” they asked him.

   “I don’t know,” he said.

 

Night is coming when no one can work!  When Jesus isn’t in your life there is darkness that looms upon you.  Jesus says He is the Light and as long as you have His Light it is day and you can see clearly His path that He wants for you.  This man born blind was allowed to be blind his entire life so that he could see the miracles of God first hand.  Are there things in your life that you feel like you shouldn’t have to be dealing with because you are living right?  Yet things keep happening or you may continue to get sick or be sick and the doctors don’t know why or what is causing this?  Maybe God wants you to see His miracle as did this blind man.  We need to understand the blessing of God in order to receive them.  He blesses us abundantly and sometimes He will bless us right where we sit but not because of anything that we do.  We must put ourselves in the place of blessing.  We have to seek where it is He is going to place that blessing in order for us to receive it.  What does the first verse of this passage say? “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.”  This was no accident this man was where he was.  It was time and he was in the place that God put him.  Quit crying about Lord bless me now.  Lord bless me Lord bless me!  He will if you will seek Him and find out where you need to be at to receive His blessing.  “Lord give me the roadmap to where You want me to be that Your blessings will flow over me in abundance in the mighty name of Jesus Christ AMEN!”

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve