Blog 04-29-2011

Friday

PRaP 04-29-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 174

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Blesses The Little Children”

Matthew 19:13-15

Mark 10:13-16

Luke 18:15-17

 

Matthew:

¹³ Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

 ¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

 

Mark:

¹³ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

 

Luke:

¹⁵ People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. ¹⁶ But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁷ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

 

How important is it that we have a child like desire to get to the Kingdom of God?  It is written about in three different Gospels!  For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these and anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.  I tell you the truth there are many who will seek the Kingdom but will not know how to seek Him as a child because of how they choose to live here on earth.  Life is too short to not see through the eyes of a child and embrace what you see.  The curiosity of a child and the desire of a child to have what they think they cannot have.  When you give a child the simplest of their desire they are truly excited and enjoy what you have done for them.  Take a small piece of candy and give it to your child and watch their eyes light up like you are giving them the best thing ever.  Our child likeness should be present even in worship and in prayer.  Keep it simple and sometimes keep it loud and fun.  Have you ever been in a worship service with a child who couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket and they are singing the loudest of everyone?  Personally I think it is the most beautiful sound I hear when I walk into worship.  Seek the kingdom as a child.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 04-28-2011

Thursday

PRaP 04-28-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 173

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Teaches About Marriage And Divorce”

Matthew 19:1-12

Mark 10:1-12

 

¹ When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. ² Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

 ³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

   ⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’^{[a] 5} and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’^[b]? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

 ⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

 ⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

 ¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

 ¹¹ Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. ¹² For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

 

This is a difficult thing for me to speak about.  It is one part of God’s plan that I have failed.  More than once I might add.  But knowing forgiveness and Grace I have learned from my mistakes and I am wiser than I was when I went into those failed marriages.  If you can reconcile do so.  If you do this then you will be blessed.  If the marriage is over then you must repent and you must relent and you must go through a time of renewal and if you can don’t do it again.  The flesh is weak and when we aren’t married we allow ourselves to lust and that is a dangerous thing.  If your flesh overcomes you and fall into sin you are worse off than you were when you were married.  If you choose to get married again be sure that you lay it at the cross BEFORE you get married.  Be sure you LISTEN and pay attention and do not allow your flesh to make the decisions for you.  Take your time and look for those RED flags that are a warning sign that you shouldn’t marry the person you are considering.  When marriage is done in the right way then it can be a life long wonderful thing with ups and downs and blessings galore.  But when it is done from flesh it is doomed to fail or be a life long misery. 

Father in the name of Jesus we come together and pray for the husbands and wives of the people who desire to choose marriage.  Lord we ask that they are men and women of God that have chosen to love You first.  Father I pray for my sons’ wives may they be virtuous women of God.  Bless each and every one who is considering marriage and may You Lord be their Guide.  In Jesus Mighty Name above ALL names AMEN!

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 04-27-2011

Wednesday

PRaP 04-27-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 172

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Tells The Parable Of Two Men Who Prayed”

Luke 18:9-14

 

⁹ To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

   ¹³ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

   ¹⁴ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

 

SLAM!  Do not think that because you are Christian that you are better than anyone else because you are a sinner just like them.  HUMBLE yourself in the presence of the Most high God and let Him know that you are worthy of nothing and that you know that you sin and need Him to forgive you and repent of those things RIGHT NOW! Don’t run off to church do it where you stand.  Talk to Jesus personally and let Him know you love Him and that you are sorry for what you have done.  Talk to Him as if He is your friend because He is!  He wants a personal relationship not a church relationship.  Lord come and sit with me as I write this and let me know You are here and approve of what is written that You may be glorified through it.  Lord take me out of the equation that You be the One who speaks through me.  I submit my mind body and spirit over to You that You be glorified right now in the name of You Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior.

Here is what He said:

    “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.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

PEACE AND AGAPE LOVE,

Pastor Steve

Blog 04-26-2011

Tuesday

PRaP 04-26-2011  

 250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 171

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Tells The Parable Of The Persistent Widow”

Luke 18:1-8

 

¹ Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

   ⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

 ⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

 

God is quick to bring justice upon the unjust and will take care of those who have been chosen. It is written and proven daily.  But I want to focus in on the question that Jesus asked.  When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?  Maybe a little but not much.  I don’t think He will even find a tithe of the population of the earth with the faith of Christ in them.  I know that’s a bold statement but all Jesus looks for is the faith of a mustard seed and when it comes down to the bottom line how many of us really have that kind of faith?  My hand is up, is yours?  If you had to think about it you might need to go to the mirror and look into your soul and see where your heart truly is.  There are only 2 sides to a fence there is no middle ground.  There is no grey area for the Bible says that you are either for Him or against Him.  Think about it.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 04-25-2011

Monday

PRaP 04-25-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 170

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Teaches About The Coming Of The Kingdom Of God”

Luke 17:20-37

 

²⁰ Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, ²¹ nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”^[a]

 ²² Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. ²³ People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. ²⁴ For the Son of Man in his day^[b] will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. ²⁵ But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

   ²⁶ “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. ²⁷ People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

   ²⁸ “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. ²⁹ But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

   ³⁰ “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹ On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. ³² Remember Lot’s wife! ³³ Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. ³⁴ I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. ³⁵ Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” ^{[36] [c]}

 ³⁷ “Where, Lord?” they asked.

   He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”

 

This day is coming!  When it arrives be sure not to look back for all you have will be gone.  Watch out for the false prophets and antichrist for they are here now and will be trying to trick you into following them.  Repent and be cleansed of all unrighteousness and live a life full of Christ and His plans and not that of the world and its plans.  Be sure that when you punch that clock you don’t hang Jesus at the door.  Take Him with you into your work place that if He comes while you are at work you will be ready to go.  When you go home don’t leave Jesus in your car or on the bus go ahead and take Him into your home that you may have Him there with you all the time for when the time comes and He calls you home you will not worry about what is left behind but what is before you and this will go well with you.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 04-22-2011

Friday

PRaP 04-22-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 169

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Heals Ten men With Leprosy”

Luke 17:11-19

 

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy^[a] met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

 ¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

 ¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

 ¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

 

God blessed 10 and only 1 returned to give thanks and praise to the One who healed them.  Ten percent return on God’s blessing.  Some things to think about here for sure.  Is that how you serve Him?  Do you give 10 percent of yourself to Him?  Are you a 10 % Christian?  What about the other 90% where does that go?  To yourself?  This is not what He wants though.  He wants all of you and He wants all of me.  Jesus paid the price for our sin that if we repent and believe the other 90% we fail to give Him is bought and paid for already.  But understand this, ONLY those who give their lives over to Christ will be saved.  When you give your entire life to Him you will be blessed.  We speak of spiritual growth when we become Christians because it isn’t easy to give up everything in our life and God knows this so we have to grow in our faith.  I still struggle giving Him everything but I feel like I am getting there and I know that in His plan I will achieve His goal for me as will you if you consciously give Him everything.  The only thing God asks from us at the 10% level is our time, talent, and treasure and we even struggle to reach that level.  Thank You Jesus for paying the price for our sin and we love You for that.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

           

Blog 04-21-2011

Thursday

PRaP 04-21-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 168

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Religious Leaders Plot To Kill Jesus”

John 11:45-57

 

⁴⁵ Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. ⁴⁶ But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

   “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

 ⁴⁹ Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰ You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

 ⁵¹ He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵² and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. ⁵³ So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

 ⁵⁴ Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.

 ⁵⁵ When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. ⁵⁶ They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” ⁵⁷ But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.

 

Heavy duty history lesson here for sure.  Interestingly I was watching a program on the History Channel about the 40 days after the resurrection of Jesus and how they were piecing it together and one of the things that was made clear is at this time the Romans were really laying it hard on the Jews at that time and this piece of God’s Word shows just that unrest.  Jesus had double trouble going on here.  Not only is He Jew He is now being plotted against by His own people.  These things are difficult for us to take in and to know that our Lord was being tracked down like a criminal is a tough thing to understand at times but remember that these things had to take place for us to be saved.  Jesus lives even now and is amongst us all daily.  He never leaves us or forsakes us even when we are in our sin He is standing by touching our heart to not sin and is there when we repent of that sin and is quick to forgive.  Condemnation is only upon us because through the way we live we judge ourselves and bring that condemnation to ourselves by not repenting and continuing to live the way we live.  God loves you and He sent His Son to die for those sins you commit daily.  SO why are you continuing to condemn yourself by not repenting?

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 04-20-2011

Wednesday

PRaP 04-20-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 167

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead”

John 11:38-44

 

³⁸ Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ³⁹ “Take away the stone,” he said.

   “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

 ⁴⁰ Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

 ⁴¹ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

 ⁴³ When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

   Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

 

MAYBE NOW THEY WILL BELIEVE!!!!!  I’m telling you Jesus wept because of the disbelief and lack of faith in Him that these people exhumed.  How can you see the miracles of Jesus and not believe?  How can you have the Word of God and all the places that were spoken of in the Old Testament about Jesus and not believe?  I tell you the truth there will come a day when false prophets and fake jesuses will appear and many will fall on their knees before them and worship them even though what they do is against the very word of God.  Jesus says that the sky will roll up like a scroll and the whole earth will know when He returns.  Yet even then there will be those who fail to see.  Do not bow down to the false things of this world and fail to be ready for the coming of our Lord.  Be prepared and make ready for His return because we do not know the exact time and day that He will arrive.  Cleanse your hearts that He may see you and not the darkness of the things you have done.  Repent of your sins immediately don’t wait.  Allow Jesus to be King of your life right now.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 04-19-2011

Tuesday

PRaP 04-19-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 166

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Jesus Comforts Mary And Martha”

John 11:17-37

 

¹⁷ On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. ¹⁸ Now Bethany was less than two miles^[a] from Jerusalem, ¹⁹ and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. ²⁰ When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

 ²¹ “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. ²² But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

 ²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

 ²⁴ Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

 ²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 ²⁷ “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

 ²⁸ After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” ²⁹ When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. ³¹ When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

 ³² When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

 ³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ³⁴ “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

   “Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

 ³⁵ Jesus wept.

 ³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

 ³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

 

Sadly their lack of faith is why Jesus wept.  Of course that’s in my opinion.  Martha was asked if she believed what Jesus told her and instead of believing that she could live even in death she said she believed He was the Messiah.  He is more than Messiah He is God He brings life to the lifeless He is THE resurrection not even death can keep Him down.  DO YOU BELIEVE?  Jesus said: , “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” LORD I believe and if there is any unbelief I ask that you remove it!  HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!  JESUS IS RISEN!!!  HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!  Don’t miss out on life because you don’t understand things of God.  None of us can because His thinking is not our thinking and His thinking is above ours.  Die to self and LIVE!

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 04-18-2011

Monday

PRaP 04-18-2011  

 

250 Events In The Life Of Christ/ A Harmony Of The Gospels Part 165

Section 2: Message And Ministry Of Jesus

“Lazarus Becomes Ill And Dies”

John 11:1-16

 

¹ Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ² (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) ³ So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

 ⁴ When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, ⁷ and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

 ⁸ “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”

 ⁹ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. ¹⁰ It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

 ¹¹ After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

 ¹² His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” ¹³ Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

 ¹⁴ So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, ¹⁵ and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

 ¹⁶ Then Thomas (also known as Didymus^[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

 

The Disciples had been with Jesus for a while now and yet they still didn’t fully understand Him.  He has been with us for thousands of years and yet many who said they knew Him never really knew Him or understood.  The things of God are laid out to us in a very simple form yet we are so blind we do not get it.  If we don’t grasp the simple things how are we going to be able to grasp the truly difficult things of God?  When will we stop making mountains for ourselves when the molehills are easier to overcome?  Think about the things of God and look at the simplicity and the complexity of His plan for us.  Once we grasp the simplicity of life we will soon be able to accept and understand His complexity.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve