Celebrate God

How do you celebrate? Do you throw a big party? Do you jump for joy? Do you smile, laugh, feel joy beyond understanding? How would you celebrate if you were rescued? What if you were stranded for a very long time? Would you celebrate in a very different way?

Celebrations can be a lot of fun. We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and achievements. If we were stranded and somebody rescues, we celebrate differently. Our joy is combined with relief. We may thank the person profusely. We may want to repay them in some way.

The Israelites sang a song to God to celebrate what God had done for them. The praised him for rescuing them. They acknowledged all that God had done to take them out of slavery. They saw his power. They recognized that he had saved them. They sang to the one who had destroyed their oppressors and performed miracles.

We can learn from their joy and desire to praise God. After all, God has rescued us, too. Through his Son, Jesus, we have been rescued from sin and death. We have been pulled from the fire of eternal punishment. We have been given an eternal life with God. Our rescue is far greater than the rescue of the Israelites. We have much more to be thankful for and to praise God for.

I pray we all choose to celebrate God. I pray we recognize what God has saved us from. I pray each one of us will praise God for being our Savior and for the gift of eternal life spent with him. Celebrate God. Know that God saved you. Praise God. Praise your Savior. Look forward to eternal life spent with God.

Exodus 15:1-2

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; 

horse and rider he has thrown into the sea. 

The Lord is my strength and my might, 

and he has become my salvation; 

this is my God, and I will praise him; 

my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

God In Us

Where do you turn for protection? Where is your place of refuge? Who do you run to when things go sideways? Who do you rely on to be your support? Who has taught you the good things you know? Where have you learned the difference between right and wrong?

Some of us like to think we can take care of ourselves. We like to think we don’t need protection. We like to think we don’t need anyone else. That is our pridefulness speaking. It is our false sense of bravado. We cannot take on the dark forces of the world on our own.

We also like to think we are good. We may have been taught to say, “Yes, sir” or “Yes, ma’am,” be kind to others, and give to charities, but that doesn’t make us good. All of us retain a mean streak within us. It is just a matter of the right buttons being pushed to reveal it. We all disobey God at different times. We have our favorite sins that we don’t want to give up.

God is our only hope. It is God who protects us. It is in him we need to take refuge. It is in him we need to place our trust. Only by God working in us and through us that we are good. It is not our good but his good. He is the only one who can overcome our sinful nature.

When we put our trust and confidence in God, our lives change. We become people who are not only confident but become the person God wants us to be. For it is his good that makes us good and guides us along the path he wants us to walk. The more we surrender to God, the better our lives become.

I pray we all seek God’s protection. I pray we take refuge in God. I pray each one of us realize God is the only good within us and decide to put our trust and confidence in him. Seek God’s protection. Take refuge in God. Know that only God is good. Put your trust in God.

Psalm 16:1-2

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; 

I have no good apart from you.”

Not Blind Faith

Do you believe in things you have not seen? Do you believe in people you have not seen? Do you rejoice over them? That can be difficult to do, can’t it? How can we believe in and rejoice over someone we do not know? Are we willing to take what we hear on faith?

Perhaps the closest we can get to believing in someone we have not seen is by supporting a child through a child support organization. Over the years, I have supported a variety of children and currently support one in Brazil. But I have seen the child in a picture.

In today’s world, it is hard for there to be someone we have not seen. We can research them on the internet and find all sorts of information. We can find pictures of them on social media, in news articles, or even obituary listings. If we cannot find something on the internet about them, we should be suspicious, even if they do not use a computer or smart phone.

But in the first century, the internet did not exist. People had to believe and put their faith in people they had never seen. Such is the case for the people Peter is writing to. He commends them for their love for Jesus and their belief in Him, though they had not seen Him. Not only did they believe but they rejoiced in Him and received salvation. Their faith was not completely blind. After all, they had been told about Him. They believed what the apostles and other traveling preachers told them about Him.

We have a great opportunity today to learn about Jesus. We have numerous translations of the Bible. There are commentaries available to us that are written by Greek scholars that tell us what the original Greek meaning was. We can read about Jesus by numerous reputable authors. We have no excuse for not believing and rejoicing in Him.

I pray we all seek to know more about Jesus. I pray we put our faith in Him. I pray each one of us rejoice in the salvation we have and experience the joy that only comes from Jesus. Seek to know more about Jesus. Put your faith in Jesus. Rejoice in Jesus. Experience the joy of Jesus.

1 Peter 1:8-9 Although you have not seen him, you love him, and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Living Hope

Do you have a living hope? Do you believe you have an inheritance? Do you believe it is perfect and will never go away? Do you know it is held in perpetuity for you? Do you know it is held in the most secure place it could ever be held? Are you anxiously waiting for it to be revealed?

The hope of a Christian is to be a living hope. Why? Because our hope is in the risen Son of God. It is not a false hope. It is hope based on the promises of God. It is based on Jesus Christ. Our hope is not wishful thinking but one the Creator of all things. Our hope is belief and trust.

One of Jesus’s promises is that an inheritance is waiting for us. It is not just any inheritance, but one that is perfect and imperishable. It is an inheritance that is safely kept for us in heaven and protected by the power of God. There is no safer place our inheritance could be kept. We can be assured it can never be taken from us.

Our lives are to reflect the living hope we have. It is to reflect the trust we have in the inheritance that is waiting for us. It is to be lived with confidence, not in ourselves, but in God, who loves us and has our best interest at heart. As we live in the hope we have in God, we live the abundant life Jesus promised us.

I pray we all choose to live in the hope of God. I pray we know we have an imperishable inheritance. I pray each one of us live in the power of God and trust him at all times. Live in hope. Know you have an inheritance. Trust it is protected by God. Live in confidence.

1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

He Is Risen!

Easter Sunday is such a special day. Our worship seems to be more joyous. We sing louder. There are smiles on everyone’s faces. We celebrate the risen Christ. We all have a little extra bounce in our step. The church is decorated in Lily’s. What a beautiful day?!

Celebrating Jesus’ resurrection is wonderful, but we should not celebrate only once per year. It is something for us to celebrate every day. It also provides a vision of our future resurrection and the joy that will come with it. It is a joy we should all look forward to.

Mary was joyfully surprised when she turned to see Jesus standing there beside her. It is hard for us to imagine the joy she felt. She may have jumped up and down. She may have had happy feet. I’m sure the smile on her face stretched all the way across it. She could not contain it.

We feel some of that same joy on Easter Sunday. Our joy exceeds the sorrow we felt on Friday. The rising of the sun on Easter reminds us of the rising of the Son on that day nearly two thousand years ago. Isn’t it appropriate that Easter comes in the spring? Just as the blooms on the trees and flowers remind us life is renewed, Easter reminds us we have all been renewed in Jesus.

But our celebrations do end with the worship service. We enjoy fellowship time with one another. We may continue our celebrations with a family gathering. Our smiles may remain with us the entire day. All of it was made possible by Jesus.

I pray we all celebrate the risen Son on Easter. I pray we continue to celebrate Him all year long. I pray each one of us worship with joyous hearts and are renewed in our faith that Jesus is the Son of God, our Lord, and our Savior. Celebrate Jesus today. Celebrate Him all year. Joyfully worship Him. Be renewed in your faith.

John 20:16: Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).

Dreadful Waiting

Have you ever sat mourning, feeling completely empty? Have you felt like a big promise made to you has been broken? Have you seen that broken promise flushed down the drain? Have you felt lost and desperate? How long did you wonder around lost? Have you found your way?

Losing something or someone precious to us is hard. It is especially hard when we feel like a broken promise is included in the loss. We may stumble through life for a while after that, feeling lost and empty. We may be desperate for someone to pick us up.

When Jesus was put in the tomb, His disciples were distraught. They were filled with fear from the time He was arrested all the way through His crucifixion. They were filled with sorrow and deep grief. They may have felt betrayed, remembering the promises and teachings Jesus spoke while He was with them. They were bewildered and lost. Their minds were racing, and yet numb. Emotions were bouncing all over the place.

On the day between the crucifixion and the resurrection, they holed up in a house, jumping every time there was a knock on the door or they heard soldier marching through the street. They had no direction. They did not know where to turn. Their grief kept them from thinking straight or remembering what Jesus said about rising on the third day. They were waiting but did not know what they were waiting for. It was a painful experience.

I pray we all know that God never leaves us. I pray we listen for God when we are in grief. I pray each one of us trust in Jesus’s promises and live in those promises no matter what happens. God will never leave you. Listen for God always. Trust Jesus’s promises. Live in His promises.

John 19:40-42 They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Full Control

Have you made an emphatic declaration? What did you declare? Did you face opposition? How did you respond to the opposition? Did you respond even more emphatically? Did whomever opposed you cease their opposition? Did they walk away? Were you satisfied?

Making declarations may include facing opposition, depending on what we are declaring and who we are declaring to. We may “set our foot down” and make our declaration again, more emphatically. That may be the end of it or there may be resentment from the opposition.

Pontius Pilate made a declaration when he had a sign made to put on the cross above Jesus. The Jewish leaders were upset and wanted the sign modified. They wanted it to specify that Jesus said it about himself. They did not want any implication coming their way. But Pilate shut them down and emphatically told them the sign would not change.

Pilates declaration was more than a human declaration. It was another nod to the Messiah. It indicated that Jesus was the One prophecy had been pointing to. Not that Pilate knew that himself, but it continued to show that Jesus was in full control of everything that happened surrounding His mission. Nothing happened in the last few days that Jesus did not control, including what Pilate wrote.

I pray we all know that Jesus was in full control the entire time He walked this earth. I pray we know Jesus willingly fulfilled His mission. I pray each one of us will allow Jesus to control our lives. Jesus was in full control. Jesus willingly fulfilled His mission. Allow Jesus to control your life.

John 19:21-22 Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

Denial

How many times have you lied? Have you lied because you were ashamed of the truth? Have you left part of the truth unspoken to protect your pride? Have you lied to escape punishment? Do you despise lying? If so, how do you avoid those embarrassing truths?

We all have lied at some point in our lives. We have all avoided telling the truth for one reason or another. It may have been out of shame, pride, or to avoid punishment. Yet, most of us will say we hate people lying to us. We often separate lying into different degrees or categories.

As most of you, I consider myself to be a person who prefers truth. I have even stated the lying is equivalent to stealing. One steals physical property while the other steals trust. Unfortunately, I cannot state I have never lied or withheld the truth. Like nearly everyone I know, I view some lies as small and non-hurtful while others are big and impactful.

Peter was caught in a quandary. As he followed Jesus being taken to the high priest for guards, I’m sure he knew nothing good would come of it. He may have thought Jesus would be thrown in prison. He also was in self-preservation mode. So, when asked if he was one of Jesus’ followers, he lied. Out of fear for his own well-being, Peter distanced himself from Jesus. He portrayed himself as a curious onlooker.

We like to poke at the mistakes Peter and the other disciples made. What we often forget is we are just like them. After nearly two-thousand years of learning, teaching, and experiencing Jesus, we continue making the same mistakes. The truth of the matter is fear drives us to deny we are followers of Jesus. And even if we won’t admit it, our belief is not as strong as we think it is. Rather than scoffing at Peter, we need to reflect on his mistake, our own mistakes, and learn from them.

I pray we all reflect on the times we have lied or withheld the truth. I pray we learn from our past mistakes. I pray each one of us apply what we learn and deepen our faith in Jesus. Reflect on your mistakes. Learn from them. Apply the lessons you learn. Deepen your faith in Jesus.

John 18:17 The woman said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”

No Garden

What comes to mind when you hear the word garden? Do you think of a vegetable garden? Do you think of a flower garden? Have you considered there are other types of gardens? Most of us do not think beyond a vegetable or flower garden, though there are other types.

In the cities of Eastern Europe, it is not unusual for their entire yard to be a garden. I remember being on a mission trip in Romania. They had walls around their yard. The yard was full of various plants, including small trees, bushes, flowers, and even vegetables.

When we see that Jesus went to a garden on the night He was betrayed, it was not what we typically think of as a garden. In fact, the word translated as garden means an enclosed field. In this case, it is an olive grove with an olive press in it. When the olives were harvested, they were put in the olive press so that an extremely heavy stone would press every last drop of oil from the olives.

It was no mistake that Jesus went to this place. It symbolized what He would go through in a few hours. He would be crushed by the weight of the world’s sin. Not only the sins of the past but all the sins of the future. This was one half of the cup He asked the Father to remove from Him. The other half? Being separated from the Father. Jesus had always been with the Father. Yet, for a couple of days, He would be separated as He took on the sins of the world.

Since we did not live at the live Jesus walked this earth and living in a country that does not have presses like they back then, we miss the symbolism. We miss the context. This is why we need to study not only the Bible but understand the historical context in which the writers wrote and the people lived. It helps us better understand what is written.

I pray we all realize that Jesus went to an olive grove. I pray we see the symbolism of Him going there. I pray each one of us take time to study and understand the context of Scripture. Jesus was purposeful. He went to the olive grove. It symbolized His suffering. Understand the context of Scripture.

John 18:1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.

Helping Attitude

Are there some jobs you will not do? Are there jobs that are dirty or strenuous or interact with people that you refuse to work in those professions? Are there tasks that need to be done around the house you won’t do? Do you refuse to clean the toilet?

There are some jobs or home tasks that make us squeamish. We don’t want to do them. They may cause our stomachs to churn. We may think they are below us. Our attitude keeps us from doing them. We may even think anyone but us and do those jobs or tasks.

I worked for a company many years ago that had the opposite culture. The two owners believed everyone could pitch in to do any job. They would take the trash out, if that was needed. They helped bring furniture and computers when the delivery truck brought them. We were all expected to pitch in to help, regardless of what our job title was.

Jesus teaches this same lesson to His disciples. It wasn’t the specific task of washing feet He was talking about. It was the willingness to do the lowliest of jobs. You see, it was the lowest level servant that washed the master or guest’s feet. His example to the disciples, one they were to follow, was to eliminate the attitude of a job or task being below us. That is not to say we cannot strive for better jobs. It is to say that we should not look down on those who are working at jobs we do not want to do and to pitch in to help, even with tasks we don’t want to do.

This attitude applies to our jobs, our homes, and our churches. It is especially important that we pitch in at church. It is everyone’s responsibility to keep it clean, even if there is a paid custodian. The work of the church requires everyone to take a vested interest. Without everyone working toward the same goal, the church will not grow, it will not progress, it will not fulfill the mission God has given it.

I pray we all follow the example Jesus has given us. I pray we rid ourselves of the attitude that some jobs are below us. I pray each one of us will choose to pitch to help wherever we can. Follow Jesus’ example. Release the negative attitude. Help one another. Be productive.

John 13:14-15 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.