The People at the Cross

The People at the Cross Matthew 27:36 “And sitting down they watched him there;” When Jesus was crucified, there was a crowd who stood by and watched. Who were these people? Remember Calvary was a place of suffering, agony and disappointment. It also was a place of victory. There the Son of God won the battle with sin and death and paid the debt for all mankind. As we look at the many classes of people who watched Jesus die see if you fit into any of these categories. There were the Roman soldiers who literally crucified Jesus. Matthew 27:27-36. They were under orders to do their duty. These men could be equal to those who only do their religious duty. They put on the scarlet robe, spit in his face, crowned him with thorns. Beat him close to death and gambled for his clothes. Then they sat down and watched him die. Then there were the rejecting Jews. “and they that passed by reviled him wagging their heads..”Matthew 27:39 In this crowd were the ones who shouted “crucify him. Let his blood be on us”. They misquoted what he said, thinking he said he could tear down the temple and rebuild it in three days. Like many today the misquoting is still going on. This Jewish crowd minimized the work of the cross. Now the religious leaders mocking his deity and His faith in God. Like many today religion has blinded the eyes and closed the ears. These were the most blind of all as they knew the scriptures read the prophesies. Their piety did not allow them to see the gift God was sending them. This crowd also had criminals, those being crucified with Jesus. They too mocked him and cast the same in his teeth. Of the two who died with Jesus, that day one went to hell cursing the other repented and went to paradise with Jesus. There were the spectators who had come to watch. Oh, they were under conviction, smote their breast, and bowed their heads and returned home doing nothing. Many today come hear God’s Word the Holy Spirit convicts their heart but they go home lost or unrepentant. They were impressed with the whole affair but still they refused to confess their sins and follow Jesus. Authority figures were there too. A centurion, a commander of men, a man of authority stood watching Jesus. As he and his men watched Jesus and the earth trembled beneath his feet, he was greatly afraid. His confession, “Truly this was the Son of God.” Last, there were those at the foot of the cross, a place where all sinners must come. There is where they will find forgiveness and truly see God’s love for them. When was the last time you were at the foot of the cross? Have you ever looked up and saw the awesome love God has for you as He placed His son in your place; paid your sin debt with the blood of Jesus. With which crowd do you stand?

Do you hear God talking to you?

Revelations 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” How do you know when He is talking to you? This is a great question and it was asked by a small boy in a Sunday school class. How do you know when God is talking to you? This comes from a story about a teacher who had been teaching a class of six year children about how to love God and how God loves them. Children usually go right to the heart of the matter. In his lesson the teacher said you have to listen to God just like you listen to your parents. Well this made no sense to one boy. He knew how to listen to his parents because he could hear when they talked to him. How could he listen to God when he didn’t hear God speak? So how would you explain to a child just how to go about listening to God? At six most children know they hear with their ears and if they don’t hear anything with their ears then to them it is not said. When God speaks He speaks to the heart and that is confusing to a six year old. As young Christians the same thing applies. The preacher says you must obey the commands of God. Ok but I didn’t hear God speak! Yes you did as you began to feel that there was something missing and there was a need to fill a hole inside you. God sent the Holy Spirit to begin to talk to you. Began to give you that empty feeling and also began to tell you things you never heard before. Things like God loves you, Jesus died for and forgave you on the cross. That small voice from inside that said that is wrong you need to stop and make some changes. That was God speaking. You did hear it right? In short God made you hungry for spiritual food so that you could grow close to Him. But what about those who have not heard of Jesus how would they know God was speaking to them. God speaks through those who have come to know Him from a salvation experience and have been given the task to tell those lost and without to come inside and be saved. Come in out of the storm and be warm. That’s how you know God is speaking. Are You listening? You lost and wandering in the storm? Jesus said, “Come unto me all ye that labor and I will give you rest.” How about those who are saved but still want to play in the storm and wind and rain? God is talking to you too. Hear the still small voice saying, you really shouldn’t be doing that or I could really use another Sunday school teacher, the choir needs another singer or when was the last time we had a chat? God is talking are you listening?

Just Checking In

This is a bit long but worth the read; it was sent to me and I wanted to share. A minister passing through his church in the middle of the day, Decided to pause by the altar and see who had come to pray. Just then the back door opened, a man came down the aisle. The minister frowned as he saw the man hadn't shaved in a while. His shirt was kind a shabby and his coat was worn and frayed, the man knelt, he bowed his head. Then rose and walked away. In the days that followed, each noon time came this chap, each time he knelt just for a moment, a lunch pail in his lap. Well, the minister's suspicions grew, with robbery a main fear, He decided to stop the man and ask him, "What are you doing here?" The old man said, he worked down the road. Lunch was half an hour. Lunchtime was his prayer time, For finding strength and power. "I stay only moments, see, because the factory is so far away; as I kneel here talking to the Lord, This is kind a what I say: "I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKING IN TODAY." The minister feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine. He told the man he was welcome to come and pray just anytime. Time to go, Jim smiled, said "Thanks." He hurried to the door. The minister knelt at the altar, he'd never done it before. His cold heart melted, warmed with love, and met with Jesus there. As the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated old Jim's prayer: "I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY" Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come. As more days passed without Jim, he began to worry some. At the factory, he asked about him , learning he was ill. The hospital staff was worried, but he'd given them a thrill. The week that Jim was with them, brought changes in the ward. His smiles, a joy contagious. changed people, were his reward. The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was so glad, when no flowers, calls or cards came, not a visitor he had. The minister stayed by his bed, he voiced the nurse's concern: No friends came to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn. Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a winsome smile; "the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know, that in here all the while everyday at noon He's here, a dear friend of mine, you see, He sits right down, takes my hand, Leans over and says to me: "I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN. ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY, I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY, AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS CHECKING IN TODAY." If this blesses you, pass it on .Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. May God hold you in the palm of His hand and Angels watch over you. But for those of us who are already His, He not only holds us in the palm of His hand, but has engraved our names there, and we are continually in His sight (Isaiah 49:16) Please pass this page on to your friends & loved ones. If you aren't ashamed. Jesus said, “If you are ashamed of me," I will be ashamed of you before my Father." If you are not ashamed, pass this on. But only if you mean it. Yes, I do love God. He is my source of existence and Savior. He keeps me functioning each and everyday. Without Him, I will be nothing. Without him, I am nothing but with Him "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me." Phil 4:13 This is too good not to share - So this is me ... Just Checking

Advice to Newlyweds

Advice for Newlyweds In the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 1 I find these words, “To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.” For God made everything. He made each in His image. As He planned He knew exactly when each event of a life would take place. He also knew how each would live and when they would die. As He put each person together and gave each special talents only that person could use. He also made a special person that would match and magnify those talents. It is only in His time that those two come together. One thing we should always remember is the verse in Ecclesiastes 3:1 “to everything there is a season…” Our time is not God’s time. God does have a time set for everything in every life to happen. We cannot hasten or shorten the time. By faith, we only need to trust God will see that His plan will work in His time. When it does, we then need to praise Him and thank Him. As you stand hand in hand together the future before you is yours to paint. As a painter stands before a new canvas, so you stand now. What you paint is yours alone. I believe God has placed you both together to fulfill His plan and given you all the talent you will need to paint the picture He has or will place in your minds and hearts. Others may paint similar pictures but none will be like yours. Yours will be unique. It matters not what colors you use or the brush stroke. It matters only that your canvas reflects the love in two hearts. The beauty will be in the picture coming from heats of love. It will be yours alone there will be none like it. Others can say paint like this or use this color but none can paint for you. Only the artist can put on canvas what is in his heart and mind. The canvas before you is one that will only accept a joint brush stroke. The picture is what is in two hearts. If only one paints the picture will have little depth and meaning. To bring out every detail you both must paint with one mind, one spirit, and one vision. Yes, each will see with different eyes but both must see the same picture. God has given each of you eyes to see, minds to understand, hearts to love, and the tools to paint a grand picture. So as you both stand hand in hand before the brand new canvas paint what is in your hearts. By loving, trusting and sharing with each other only then will your picture have true value. Will your picture have mistakes, for sure, but with shared love, those mistakes will fade into a grander hue; a hue that will show depth strength and love. You will find that with the passage of time your canvas will grow. When you think there is no more room to paint look into each other’s eyes and you will see new canvas forming. As years pass and you look back don’t be surprised at the picture behind. For there you will find years of joy, days of pain, mountains and valleys. As you look ahead there will be more clean canvas waiting for your experienced brush to craft yet scenes that are more glorious. So my children take a deep breath pick up you brushes and start to paint your life picture, for now is the season and now is the start of a new life together.