The Daily Dose

The Storm has a purpose

Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. John 6:18

            Have you ever noticed that every story has a “storm”?  Even if it isn’t a good story, there is still some kind of struggle or conflict.  That’s what makes it interesting.  Everyone loves to see the hero in an epic battle defeat the enemy and come out on top or face the elements of nature and overcome.  The fact is that storms are unavoidable in life in nature and in every other area and relationships.  If every day were the same with no struggle or no pressure, there would be no reason for faith, and there would really be no reason to exist.  The point is that storms have their purpose, and that purpose is to trust God to get you through and grow you through.

               In today’s reading, Jesus’ disciples got into a boat to go to the other side of the sea of Galilee.  After they had gone aways into the sea, a great wind started blowing.  The disciples had rowed for a few miles, in the wind, so there is no doubt that they were struggling and getting tired.  There is no indication that they called for help or even thought about any option beyond their own strength.  Isn’t that the way we usually start out?  Thinking we can handle the winds of life that blow, and we will figure it out and come through the storm unscathed. 

               The almost funny part about this story is that when Jesus did show up, the disciple were afraid.  They never considered that Jesus would be able to get to them in the middle of this terrible wind and storm.  That is when Jesus spoke words of comfort to them, and He told them He was there now and there was no reason to be afraid.  He took them safely to the other side and without delay.

               It was a miracle for sure, since Jesus came to them walking on the water and when He got in the boat, they were at their destination.  Those things just don’t happen without supernatural help.  They defied the laws of gravity. This storm showed the disciples that they did not have to struggle alone.  Jesus was available and ready to help.  Even though they did not call out to Him, they realized and learned that He would show up for them.  He was not going to let them fail and He was not going to let them drown.  Even though Jesus did not plan the storm and purposefully send His guys into it, He was able to use that storm to display His provision and protection for them.  The disciples realized they were not able to control the situation on their own but they were not without hope or help.

               Today I want to encourage you to trust Jesus in your storms.  Remember that He is not the one causing the crisis, but He is ready to help when called upon.  Remember His words to not be afraid and that He is just a prayer away.  Thank Him for His presence and His help and worship Hin the middle of the storm because you know He is taking you through.  This problem is a platform for God to show up, so ask yourself: Am I in the middle of a storm or am I just between two miracles.  He is with you, and you cannot experience His miracles without a storm.

Today’s scripture reading: John 6:15-21

15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 

17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 

18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 

19 So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 

20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 

21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

Get it in His hands

^{And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. John 6:11}

Do you believe in miracles?  Do you believe that God is still doing them today?  Surly we have all heard of miraculous healings and provisions throughout history and even maybe in our lifetime, but is God still working miracles in this day and hour? In April of 2023?

I believe so!  I believe He wants to do even more, but we have developed a lifestyle of taking care of our own problems and meeting our own needs.  In the richness of our day, miracles are few and far between.  We have become self sufficient and have little need of God’s intervention.  Still times come when the Dr. just isn’t enough or the circumstances build up to where we cannot get out a predicament we have gotten into. Somehow have forgotten that God is the answer and if we would just turn things over to Him, He would turn the situations around for good instead of evil.

In today’s reading, we see the hand of God move over a crowd of people who didn’t even realize what was happening.  They came out to learn and listen to Jesus and to see if He would do some healing or miraculous things.  Little did they know, they were about to be a part of one of the greatest miracles of all time.  The breaking of 5 loaves and 2 fish to feed 5000 people.  There is no need to make this miracle any greater by saying it was probably 15000 – 20000 people.  There is no way that these 5 small loaves and 2 fish could be stretched in the natural to feed 500 people let along 5000.  Jesus received a boy’s lunch of five small loves of bread and two fish. He told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups of 50 so they could be counted. Then, when the meal was placed in His hands, He gave thanks for it and then divided it up for the disciples to distribute.  There ended up being enough in that small lunch to feed the multitudes there that day plus there were 12 baskets of leftovers.  Simply Amazing!!

How did it happen?  The disciples simply brought all they had to Jesus, then He blessed that gift and multiplied it back into the entire crowd.  This is the same way any miracle happens.  Bring it all to Jesus and He will bless it and return it back to you in abundance.  Maybe it isn’t food that you need.  Maybe you need a financial miracle to pay some insurmountable bill?  Get all you have into the hands of Jesus, and He will multiply it back to you.  Maybe you are facing an illness or physical disability?  Get it in the hands of Jesus!  Maybe you are having a family struggle?  Get it into the hands of Jesus!  Your miracle is waiting for you there.

Today I want to encourage you especially if you are in need of heavenly intervention in your life.  Take that issue, crisis, dilemma, and problem and get it into the hands of Jesus!  He will multiply a miracle back.  It may not look exactly like you imagined it would, but it will be a beautiful thing!  It may not happen in an instant but know that when you turn all your cares, concerns and resources over to Him and put them in His hands, He is working it all together for good and His answer will be plenteous!

Today’s scripture reading: John 6:1-14

1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 

2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. 

3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 

5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 

6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”

8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 

9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 

11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 

12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 

13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 

14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Focus on the details

“He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” Luke 24:6-7 

Today we celebrate Resurrection Sunday!  It was the day that Jesus got up from being dead and walked out of a dead man’s tomb.  Throughout this previous week we all have probably thought about Jesus and His death, burial and resurrection many times.  We have all probably had different thoughts about the details of the things Jesus went through leading up to His death.  Some may have focused on the beating He took, others may have thought about the crowd jeering and mocking Him.  You may have thought about Jesus carrying His own cross to be nailed to.  There may have been thoughts of His suffering as He hung on the cross.  Probably some were reminded of the words He spoke on the cross, then the tomb and the three days He spent lying there lifeless.  My point is that this is the one week each year that we really take time to focus on all the details of what Jesus actually did to save us from an eternity of separation from God and without Him we would spend our eternal life suffering in hell.  

However, what details will you be focused on tomorrow?  Will you immediately shift your attention back to the world and the current crisis we are in?  Will you scan the headlines to see what the greatest threat is for this week?  Will you learn every detail and possible outcome to discuss in every conversation you have?  Why does our focus have to change?  Why do we have to turn our attention away from the price Jesus paid to free us from the current world circumstances?  Why don’t we instead keep our attention on the details of heaven?  Can we keep our focus on the details of our God and the details of our Savior, Jesus?

Think about this:  What if you spent as much time studying and getting to know your Heavenly Father as you spend watching the news or learning about current events this week?  What if you focused on the details of heaven and the joy that is waiting for you there?  Why not learn, down to the last detail about the love of God?  How He created us to have dominion over this world?  How He sent Jesus to defeat His enemy and every evil work he ever did in this world or ever will do?  Sin has been defeated!  Death has been defeated!  Sickness has been defeated!  Disease has been defeated!  Anxiety, worry, doubt, fear, all defeated.  He hung on a cross so we wouldn’t be crushed or even threatened by any attack of the enemy, right now, here in this world! The work Jesus did on the cross was so big and encompassing, there is nothing that can stand against it.  Nothing!!!  It wasn’t just a partial work of Salvation for after we die, it was a complete work of redemption so we can live this life in total victory!  Evil is not our focus, Victory is!  

Today I want to encourage you to keep your focus on the details of your Savior, Jesus!  You already have the victory!  Please stop looking at the things that have already been defeated!  They are not a threat to God or His people, but the only way to believe that is to focus on the God details, not the world details.  We are more than conquerors through Jesus!  Let’s start living like we believe it!

Today’s scripture reading:  Luke 24:1-12

1 But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 

2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 

3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 

4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 

6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 

7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

8 Then they remembered that he had said this. 

9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 

10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 

11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 

12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

It’s Cancelled

He cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:14

Have you ever cancelled anything before?  Maybe an appointment or a meeting of some kind?  What happened?  Did you go there, sit through it and then say, “that’s it, I’m cancelling.”?  No, at the moment when the meeting was cancelled, it didn’t happen.  The only reminder you have of that meeting is in your thoughts.  You remember there was a meeting scheduled, but it was cancelled, so it never made it into reality.

That is what today’s verse says.  He cancelled my sin debt. He cancelled the entire record of charges against me.  That means, when He took my sin on the cross, He cancelled all my guilt, all my shame and all my punishment.  He wiped it out and threw it away with the cross.  It’s gone.  It has been cancelled like it never happened.  It’s true, it is just like when you cancelled that appointment.  It never happened.  Your appointment with sin never happened, because it was cancelled!

I know that it is hard to grasp because even though sometimes we still miss it, Jesus paid the price and that sin never makes it into reality.  It has been cancelled before it ever happened.  You can think of it this way, your appointment to pay the punishment, carry the guilt and bear the shame of your sin has been cancelled.  It will never happen.  Glory to God.  I am so thankful, I never have to carry the load of my sin because it was carried away with the cross!

Today I want to encourage you to get rid of any guilt and shame you may be carrying.  That load is not yours to bear. In Christ Jesus, that doesn’t exist.  You are carrying a burden that is not real in the kingdom of Heaven, it is an earthly burden and it doesn’t belong to you.  See yourself risen up with Him and unload that cross today.  The cross Jesus died on was thrown away 2000 years ago and your sin was destroyed with it.  If you have never received Jesus as your LORD and cancelled your sin debt, do that today by praying this pray of salvation.  Jesus will come into your life and save you.  He has cancelled your debt of sin as if it never existed.

_{God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to have my sin debt cancelled and turn to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive me for my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new.  I know your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him form the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father. I also ask for Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to do the things that You have planned for my life in Jesus name, Amen}

Today’s scripture reading: Colossians 2:11-15

11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 

12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 

13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 

14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 

15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Behold your Lamb

“Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year.  It is the LORD’s Passover.”  Exodus12:5, 11 

I want to talk a little about why we celebrate and observe this spring holiday.  We call it Easter, but what we are really celebrating is Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.  Most of us know that Passover was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified to pay the debt of our sin so we could receive freedom.  Then three days later He rose up from the dead and walked out of the grave and defeated His enemy and ours for all eternity. 

I want to take just a few minutes today to focus on “Passover”.  It was a holiday the Jewish people celebrated to remember how God brought them out of bondage and slavery in Egypt under the leadership of God’s servant, Moses.  It was a prophetic holy day they kept each year to remind them that someday the Messiah would come to free them out from the bondage of sin.  The Passover that was celebrated the year Jesus was crucified was the fulfillment of the Passover prophecy.  

Today’s key verse in Exodus 12 is talking about the sacrificial lamb that was to be sacrificed for the sin of the people each year.  It had to be a male without blemish.  The lamb was examined by the high priest before it could be accepted as the sin offering.  I want to make a note here that when the people were on their way to Jerusalem for the Passover feast each year, they were not thinking about the sin they were offering up their sacrifice for.  They were not concerned about the extent of their sin and if it could be atoned for.  Their thoughts were on the hope that their lamb would pass inspection. They were interested in bringing a lamb without blemish so it would be accepted by the priest and pass the examination of the high priest to qualify as the sin offering to atone for their sins of the previous year.  The were only thinking about their lamb, not their sin.

Now, to bring this into our relationship with God today. He has given us a spotless Lamb that was examined and sacrificed for our sin, no blemishes, pure, and clean.  The spotless Lamb of God! This sacrifice did not atone (cover up) but He completely eradicated (restored God’s original intent for the world) the sin of the world. We don’t have to worry if we have blown it too many times to be forgiven because we have the perfect Lamb of God that paid the price for all sin for all eternity.  Our part now is simply receive that sacrificial gift. God no longer looks at our sin to correct or cover it, He looks at the sacrifice, the spotless Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world.  He has examined and accepted the payment of His perfect Son.  This is God’s complete expression of His love for us, He spared no expense!  He gave us His very own Lamb without spot or blemish.  “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  (John 1:29)

So today, as we celebrate this resurrection season, I want to encourage you to keep your eyes on the perfect Lamb of God that paid the price for all sin, for all people, for all eternity!  Take some time this week to be thankful for Jesus and His sacrifice that bridges the gap between mankind and God. If you have never received this wonderful gift of God’s love and freedom from sin, do it today. 

Pray:  _{God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive me for my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new.  I know you Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him form the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father. I also ask for Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to do the things that You have planned for my life in Jesus name, Amen}

Today’s scripture reading:  Luke 23:13-25

13 Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 

14 said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; 

15 no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. 

16 I will therefore chastise Him and release Him” 

17 (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).

18 And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”— 

19 who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.

20 Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. 21But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

22 Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.”

23 But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. 

24 So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. 

25 And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

Just one more step

“Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.” Luke 23:26 

I have heard many messages about how Jesus sweat drops of blood in the garden the night before His crucifixion.  It certainly was one of the most difficult moments of His life here on earth.  The anxiety He experienced as He anticipated the events that were about to take place was outwardly and obviously expressed in His sweat drops of blood.  As He pleaded with His Father in His last minute alone with Him to remove this cup if there was any other possible way to accomplish God’s plan.  He finished the conversation by declaring “Not my will but Yours be done!”   Even as I write these words my heart is heavy with sorrow, but also filled with gratitude and appreciation for Jesus’ sacrifice once again.

As difficult as that moment of prayer in the garden was for Jesus, I believe the turning point or most difficult steps were at the point He fell down on the road, carrying the cross.  Someone else had to come and carry it for Him.  At that point, Jesus showed His true determination to accomplish God’s plan to carry away the curse of the sin in the world.  When He could no longer take another step, God stepped in and brought help for Him to get to the top of the hill to be that sacrifice.  It was at that point when Jesus could have said, “That’s all I got, I cannot take another step.  I cannot get up and move any further on this path.  I have been beaten until there is no strength left in this body and I will lay down here and die.” 

I’m sure He could have died right there if He hadn’t gone on.  However, He was determined to make it to His destination.  There was nothing that was going to hold Him back from getting to the place He was assigned to be.  He set His eyes on the top of that hill at Calvary and thought within Himself:  just a little further, just another step.  I imagined at that point He was probably down on hands and knees fixated on that spot where He was to be crucified for me.  He was obsessed to get there for us all, to carry away our sin, our sickness, our disease, and our pain and suffering.  Thank you, LORD Jesus, for being determined to succeed in the purpose for the breath You were given here on earth.  Your purpose was to be beaten, suffer, die, be buried, get the keys of hell and death, raise up from the dead, and ascend into Heaven to be with your Father at His right hand, to be the head of His church, to rescue us from an eternity of suffering and separation from You.

Today I want to encourage you to be thankful once again for your salvation, for the price that was paid for your freedom and abundant life.  Then become determined to succeed in the plan that He has for your life.  If you do not know what the plan is, ask and He will show you because He said, “you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart”.(Jer. 29:13)  Then say what Jesus said that night in the garden before He was arrested: “Not my will but Your will be done!”

If you have never accepted the gift of salvation through His sacrifice for you, do it today by praying this prayer:  _{God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive me for my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new.  I know your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him form the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  Thank you, Jesus for Your grace that has saved me from my sin and has given me eternal life.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father. I also ask for Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to do the things that You have planned for my life in Jesus name, Amen.}

Now ask Him to make His plan and path plain and clear so you can follow Him from this day forward.

Today’s scripture reading:  Luke 23:26-43

26 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

27 And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. 

28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 

29 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ 

30 Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’ 

31 For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?”

32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. 

33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 

34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” and they divided His garments and cast lots. 

35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 

37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

38 And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 

41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 

42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

What will you do?

And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. Matthew:27:31

All of the people in Israel knew who Jesus was.  Everyone knew He did miracles and was a teacher with the message of salvation.  Of course, there were many who were jealous of Him like the religious leaders of the day.  They were afraid that Jesus would become more popular and also that He would turn the Hebrew people away from the synagogue.  They didn’t want to lose their fame or funding.  They all knew who Jesus was and some of them even spent time in His presence, but only to look for excuses to shut Him down.

In today’s reading, Jesus was handed over to the entire unit of Roman soldiers to be beaten and mocked.  Here was a group of people who again knew who Jesus was but did not know Him personally.  Some of them may have seen Him before that time and surly some of these guards were there when He was arrested.  However, none of them knew Him personally or spend time getting to know His heart of love for people especially those who were hurting.

The point is, this is still happening today.  Most people in our country have heard the name of Jesus and maybe even that He was a person in history that was crucified.  Most know that He is worshiped by Christians and even that He is the Savior of the world.  Yet, many still mock Him and don’t see any need for Him in their lives personally. 

Then there are those who love Him deeply.  Those who spend time not only learning about Him, but also getting to know Him better each day personally by spending time talking with Him.  Those who have turned to Him for help when they were going through a crisis and then begin to walk with Him daily to point their life away from destruction.  Those who worship and honor Him because He is the One who paid the penalty for sin and bridged the gap that was between us and our Heavenly Father, and those who press into Him for strength and wisdom to help others who are going through struggles.

What about you?  What are you doing with Jesus?  Are you a mocker like those in Jesus’ day who saw His good works, but ridiculed His methods?  Are you among those who believe they have no need for Jesus to be in their life? Maybe you are with those who know He has their salvation but haven’t received it yet?

Today I want to encourage you to consider what type of relationship you have with Him.  Is He Lord and Savior over your life?  Is He your best Friend that goes with you everywhere every day? Or is He someone you have heard of but never stepped into that intimate relationship of love that He wants to walk in with you?  Decide today to accept Jesus into your life as the One who rescued you from the darkness of the world.  Walk in the light of His love and His light.  Step away from the mockers of the world and make the decision to step into His arms of love.  Start the conversation today by praying this short prayer and keep that conversation going until you finish your course in this life.

Pray: _{God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to do the things that You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen}

Today’s scripture reading; Matthew 27:27-31

27 Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. 

28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 

29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 

30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 

31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

I am Barabbas

Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified. Matthew 26:26

This is one of the clearest scriptures about what Jesus came to do.  He came to the world to save sinners and He did that by trading places with them.  On the day Jesus was crucified, the people were offered a choice.  They could let Jesus go or they could free the well-known criminal, Barabbas.  Barabbas was a sinner for sure.  He deserved the punishment he was scheduled to receive, but Jesus stepped in and took his place.  It doesn’t look like Jesus had a choice, but He most certainly did.  He could have prayed to His Father and God would have given Him more than twelve legions of angels to protect and rescue Him. (See Matthew 25:53) Jesus chose to pay Barabbas penalty for his crimes the same way He chose to pay the penalty for my crimes.

He did it for you too.  I like to call it the great exchange.  2 Corinthians 5:21 says that He became sin so I could become His righteousness.  Jesus took my sin, your sin and the sin of the whole world and in exchange, He gave me a right relationship with God.  He opened the door for me to enter into the presence of my Father in heaven by bridging the gap that was between us. Now that door is open for me to walk in and spend time with Him each day and walk out my life in His wisdom and direction.  Jesus died to set me free from the bondage of sin and the prison of a sinful lifestyle.

Barabbas was free to go back to his life before prison the day Jesus took his place.  It’s the same for you.  The day Jesus died was the day He made provision for your life of freedom, you only need to invite Him into your life and enter the door He opened to have a right relationship with the God and Father that created and loves you!

Today I want to encourage you to consider the choice Jesus made to free you from the grip of sin.  Recognize that He traded places with you and paid your penalty for being a person far from God.  Thank Him for bridging that gap and opening the door for you to enter into salvation and press into you Father in heaven to walk out the blessed life He planned for you before the foundation of the world, before the world fell under the curse of sin.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 27:11-26

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” 

12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.

13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” 

14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. 

16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 

17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 

18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 

21 The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

23 Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.”

25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

Forgive

But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.  Matthew 26:50

Jesus died on the cross to forgive the sin of the world.  He bled and suffered to pay the price of sin . . . all sin for all time.  You and I are forgiven today because of that payment.  In fact, all people are forgiven, but not all walk in that forgiveness.  It must be personally received in order for the payment of forgiveness to be activated in someone’s life.

Jesus forgave sin, long before He died to pay the penalty.  We see in today’s reading that when Judas came to betray Him, Jesus called Him friend to show Him that He still loved Him despite what he was doing to turn Jesus over to be crucified.  Throughout His entire ministry, Jesus spent time with sinners.  Those that wanted to be forgiven at brought to a place of redemption.  Forgiveness was always in His heart, and He gave it freely everywhere He was.  Even when He was suffering on the cross, He prayed: “Father forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.”  He was praying for those who were executing the order to kill Him because He had a heart to forgive, not to be grudging.  It was because He is love and there no holding on to offense in Him.

You and I have the power to forgive, also.  Our heart is always prepared to either forgive or hold on to hurts and resentments.  It is up to each individual to decide ahead of time the heart they want to have.  Thankfully, we will never have to pay the penalty for sin because Jesus already did that, but we do have to make the choice to release anything we are holding on to that keeps us in unforgiveness.

Today I want to encourage you to choose forgiveness. Choose to receive the forgiveness that God gives you through the blood of Jesus and choose to forgive others that have hurt and offended you.  You have a choice, but you have to decide before an offense comes that you are going to do it.   God put the power of forgiveness in your heart when He put His love on the inside of you.  Use that power to set yourself free from the bondage and bitterness of retaliation.  Instead, release those who have sinned against you and walk in the freedom of God’s love and forgiveness from now on.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 26:47-56

47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. 

48 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” 

49 So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.

50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 

51 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.

52 “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. 

53 Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? 

54 But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?”

55 Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. 

56 But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Resurrection Week

Since we are coming up on Easter Sunday, I thought it would be appropriate to spend the week reflecting and remembering the events that took place in Jesus’ ministry leading up to His crucifixion.

I know we consider and thank Him all years long, but take some time this week to ask the Holy Spirit to give you new revelation and appreciation for what the Lord has done to give us life in His blood and in a right relationship with our Father in heaven.

“Sweet Hour of Prayer”

Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:40-41

This is a hard one.  I’m not sure, but I think I probably would have done the same thing as the disciples did here.  They just came off the last supper, they listened to Jesus teach about communion and the things to come.  Now they are in a place where they have previously spent many nights.  The logical thing seems like its time to sleep.  But Jesus asked them to do something different this night.  He took Peter, James and John deeper into the garden and confided in them that He was extremely stressed, so badly that He wished He was dead, He asked them to stay at that point and keep watch while He went on to pray.  I’m sure they didn’t know what they were watching for, but Jesus knew that Judas was coming with the guards.  That is why He was so anxious.  It was the beginning of the end.

Well, Peter James and John didn’t do so good with this assignment.  They fell asleep.  They heard Jesus say that He was struggling, and it was probably obvious by the way He was behaving.  They may have even started praying when Jesus went to be by Himself, but they didn’t last long.

Unfortunately, this happens to all of us.  I sometimes I struggle now to pray more than just a few minutes at a time.  Don’t get me wrong, I like to talk to God every chance I get, but when it comes time to press in and shut the rest of the world out, it doesn’t always last so long.  There used to be an old song that was popular called “Sweet Hour of Prayer.”  I tried it before, and it is true.  In fact, I made it a discipline at one point to pray in the spirit one hour every morning.  What a blessing it was, and it was clear to me why the song was written.  About 45 minutes in, every time, there would seem to be a breakthrough and all of a sudden, things were known, peace was received, and answers and direction were apparent.  I can’t explain it, but it was there every time.  The only problem was getting there.  I knew the place to be, I just couldn’t always keep myself pressing in for that long.  It felt like my spirit finally overcame my human body and I could now know things in the spirit world with the Holy Spirit guiding me.

I believe this is why Jesus asked the disciples “Couldn’t you stay with me in prayer for one hour?”  Then He went on to tell them the reason that “sweet” hour of prayer is so important.  It is because the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.  Staying in prayer for that length of time pushes through the weakness of the flesh and brings the strength of the spirit to the front of your life.

Now instead of seeing this as a discipline, I see it as a privilege.  It is a privilege to be in the presents of my heavenly Father for long lengths of time.  It is an honor to hang out with the trinity and put my flesh in its proper place.  It is a great advantage to my life if I can make it to the “sweet hour of prayer.”

Today I want to encourage you to take advantage of the privilege of prayer.  Step into the great honor we have as God’s children to spend time with our Father in heaven.  Maybe it will start out as a little, but gradually build up that time to linger in His presence.  Set a goal to spend an hour with Him at least one day per week and make it a practice to bask in His glory every opportunity you have.  It is a game changer for sure.  Your life will shift into a whole new dimension.  It makes sense if you think about it.  When you spend time in the presence of God, His glory is sure to rub off on you!

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 26:31-46

31 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

32 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”

33 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”

34 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”

35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” and so said all the disciples.

36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 

37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 

38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 

41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 

43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.

44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 

45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 

46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”