Today we celebrate the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made when He was crucified for our sins on Good Friday some 2000 years ago. I checked the headlines of the news in several places this morning and didn’t find a single word about it.
I did find a couple articles about Miley Cyrus recovering from an allergic reaction and Harry Reid accusing cattleman Cliven Bundy of being a terrorist for his civil disobedience in resisting the government for taking his cattle in Nevada.
Oops almost forgot that there was also a very comforting article about President Obama declaring that Obamacare is really working . . . Yeah right . . .
This Sunday we will celebrate the resurrection of Christ. I hope Miley and/or the prez and his signature health care plan don’t trump Jesus Christ on that day as well, but I won’t hold my breath for positive coverage in our secular media.
Easter Sunday is my favorite day of the year. It’s the day that death and sin were defeated with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is by far the holiest day of the year and we should be celebrating it all over this land with unparalleled fanfare, parades, and fireworks!
It was a horrible price that He had to pay on our behalves. He gave His disciples an inkling of what was to come in Luke 24:46 – And He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would SUFFER and rise again from the dead the third day.
What sufferings were being described by Jesus?
- Betrayed
- Severely beaten with fists
- Cursed, mocked, taunted, spit upon
- Scourged by vicious sadistic soldiers who ripped the flesh off His back with metal and glass tipped whips
- His beard was ripped out
- Crown of long sharp thorns beaten upon His head with clubs
- Forced to carry a heavy cross through the steep cobblestone streets of Jerusalem
- He was humiliated by being stripped naked in front of the crowd and His own mother
- Nailed to a rugged cross through the wrists and feet with large spikes
- Dehydrated from loss of blood but deprived of water
- Speared in the side
- His bones were disjointed
- Tortured until suffocation and death came from being too weak to lift His body in order to take another breath
The physical pain is mind-boggling to imagine, but the sin factor was the worst.
2 Cor. 5:21 – “For He has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
Imagine if you had to take on the fierce wrath of God that we deserve for all of our combined sins including all of the filth and perverse black sins that have ever been committed since time began.
- Lust – sexual perversion, rape, sodomy, incest, pedophiles,
- Hatred
- Murder
- Greed
- Jealousy
- Deceit
- Theft
- Lying
- Cursing
- Promiscuity
- Arrogant pride
- Anger
- Profane cursing
- Selfishness
- Perversion
- Betrayal
He took the punishment for all of the sins that span all of mankind and that require all of us to be hurled into the lake of fire prepared for Lucifer and his angels and yet today the world doesn’t even mention His sacrifice to commemorate what He did for us.
Yesterday I lamented the loss of a supporter in our Renewal of America movement to restore faith in God to our society. Unfortunately some of you took that to mean that I’m so discouraged that I’m on the verge of abandoning the mission. Well you can forget that line of thinking, because I’m more invigorated than ever.
I am human and it is normal to get discouraged a little when things don’t go as planned, and I may sulk a little, but it seldom lasts long with me anymore because of my tremendous faith in God.
Jesus was betrayed by one of His trusted disciples Judas; and another of His disciples, Peter, denied him 3 times, even though he swore he would never do so; and yet another, Thomas, wouldn’t believe Jesus had risen until He touched the wounds that Jesus incurred on the cross. These men traveled with Jesus and were eyewitnesses to His miraculous ministry and yet were adversely influenced by satan and his minions and ended up greatly discouraged and full of doubt.
If these tremendous men of God who walked, talked, and ate with Jesus became discouraged, I can be discouraged too. They snapped out of it and went on to accomplish great things for the Father and my intent is to do likewise.
And all of the naysayers can criticize and gripe and sit around on their duffs telling me that this project is doomed to failure or whatever, but I plan to keep fighting through the briars and brambles until the Lord provides the victory over His enemies.
Yesterday a man who is a Messianic Jew and is internationally recognized as being a modern day prophet of God and indeed has provided spiritual guidance to Presidents and other world leaders called me. He told me that he called because God spoke to him about me.
Yikes!
He began by telling me that God did not want me to put my faith in men, no matter who they are, but to put my faith solely in the Father and listen carefully to Him.
I almost jumped out of my skin.
Was I doing that?
If so, how did this guy know?
He went on to tell me that God was going to bless this Renewal of America project in a mighty way and that some pruning would occur. Just as a rose bush must get pruned before it can reach its full potential so will our ministry. We talked for almost two and a half hours . . .
Man oh man . . .
As I pondered what he said I imagined how dead wood just sucks the life out of the tree instead of making it flourish. I suppose the same is true in a ministry, business, or any entity.
I’m convinced that the Lord will draw those whom He wants involved with this project to it, and He will prune away those whom He doesn’t want involved with it.
Hey I’m good with whatever He wants to do. Your will and not mine be done oh Lord. I trust Your wise judgment and am not in the second guessing business . . .
Onward!
Have a glorious Easter weekend and go to Honey Lake Church this Sunday. Bible study is at 9:30 in the Gathering Hall and church services begin at 11 a.m. Afterwards across the street you can enjoy our famous Honey Lake Easter Sunday brunch and celebration for the kiddies. Some 450 people have already signed up so make your reservations today . . .
John 15:2
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you . . .
April 18, 2014 – Click here to listen