Victory in Jesus

Are you the curious type? Do you like to know who, what, when, why, and how? Do you ask questions until you get to the bottom of it? Do you search until you get answers? Do you wonder where some traditions originated? Do you wonder that about the church?

By nature, most of us are curious, even if we keep silent about it. We wonder why some people do the things they do. We want to know who is doing what. We like to know when specific things will take place. We seek to understand how something is made.

But I wonder how many of us seek to understand the traditions of the church. Palm Sunday will be here in a few days. How deep have we searched to understand how it came about? We know that when Jesus entered Jerusalem the week before His crucifixion the people greeted Him by putting palm branches down as a carpet for Him to ride in on (John 12:13). They also shouted “Hosanna,” which means “save us, please!” and is a praise that implies rulership. But why did they do that?

We turn to Psalm 118 which was a song of victory. This is a song the Israelites would have sung when a victory had been one. They might have sung it as the king and his soldiers were returning from a victorious campaign to celebrate not only the victory but praise God for the victory. Therefore, when they are singing this song and laying down palm branches for Jesus to enter Jerusalem, it would have shaken the Jewish religious leaders to the core. If the Romans understood the reason behind it, it would have upset them as well.

As we celebrate Palm Sunday, perhaps we can think back to the reason we celebrate it. Jesus has won the victory over Satan and the evil of this world. He has also won the victory over our very own sin. It is through His victory that we stand in victory. Let’s seek to understand the “why” behind our traditions.

I pray we all seek to understand church traditions. I pray we read God’s Word and discover the reasons why we do certain things. I pray each one of us will celebrate our victory in Jesus every day. Seek understanding. Read God’s Word. Know the “why” of traditions. Celebrate victory in Jesus.

Psalm 118:26-27

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

We bless you from the house of the Lord. 

The Lord is God, 

and he has given us light. 

Bind the festal procession with branches, 

up to the horns of the altar.

Live Free

Do you live with guilt and shame? Are there things you have done in the past that you wish you had not done? Are there things you keep hidden, not wanting anyone to ever find out about? Do you carry them in a deep-down dark place? Do you know you can be set free?

We do some really stupid things sometimes. We also do some things we know we shouldn’t do, but they may be our favorite sin and we don’t want to give them up. We feel guilty. We carry the guilt and shame of them. We desire to do better but continue to stumble.

The prophet Isaiah knew long ago that God would forgive him. He stated that when we are followers of his, we are no longer guilty. When God forgives us, we are truly forgiven. We are set free from the burden of guilt…unless we choose to continue to carry it. And therein lies the problem. We carry what we no longer need to carry.

Jesus tells us to take on His yoke for it is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). Rather than carry around our guilt and shame, we are to live free in Jesus. Our guilt has been forgiven and there is no shame in Jesus. Make no mistake, we should desire to grow to be like Jesus, giving up our sinful ways. But we don’t have to carry around the guilt of falling short while we mature in our faith and grow to being more like Him.

God, our heavenly father, forgives us because of what Jesus has done. He knows we are fallible human beings. He sent his Holy Spirit to guide us. But in God’s infinite wisdom he knows we are still frail people who fall prey to Satan’s temptations. He loves us so much that he died on a cross for us. His love continues from yesterday to today to all eternity. We are to live free in his love and returning his love to him.

I pray we all know that God loves us more than we can comprehend. I pray we know we are forgiven through Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us will live free of guilt and shame. Know God loves you. Love God with your whole heart. Know you are forgiven. Release your guilt. Rid yourself of shame. Live free.

Isaiah 50:9a

It is the Lord God who helps me; 

who will declare me guilty?

Learner and Teacher

Do you consider yourself to be a teacher? Have you taught your children? Do you teach others in your profession? What have you learned from your teachers, whether in school, on the job, or family? Do you look at Jesus as a teacher and desire to learn from Him?

We often think of teaching as a profession, and it is. Yet, it is not only a profession. Teaching is much bigger than a profession. The professional educator teaches one subject. They teach narrowly but deep. We need to learn a much wider array of knowledge.

Throughout our lifetimes, we will learn about science, logistics, technology, and a variety of job specialties; not to mention reading, writing, arithmetic, and everyday living sensibilities. We use all that we learn to grow and mature during our lives. Some of what we learn enables us to improve our job opportunities and financial stability.

There is one subject we should dive deeper than we often do—God. Far too many in this world don’t know God at all, even those in our neighborhoods. Others spend their Sunday morning in church listening to the sermon and singing they hymns, but don’t carry what they heard with them into the week. Only a few will spend time reading and studying on their own. They are the same ones who will attend the Bible studies.

Why is it important for us to dive deeper? We will experience situations in which our faith will be tested. The deeper our relationship with God, the better we can withstand those situations. Additionally, the more we know, the better we can teach someone else. Teaching others is the best way to make this world a better place.

I pray we all seek to learn more about God. I pray we dig deeper into understanding who God is. I pray each one of us will teach our children and others we know the gospel of Jesus Christ. Seek to know God. Learn more about him. Seek understanding. Teach your children. Teach others.

Isaiah 50:4

The Lord God has given me 

the tongue of a teacher,

that I may know how to sustain 

the weary with a word. 

Morning by morning he wakens— 

wakens my ear 

to listen as those who are taught.

Defeat Conquered

Have you ever suffered defeat? Do you feel as though you are defeated today? Have you lifted your hands in victory? Do you feel victorious today? Who are you drawn to? Why are you drawn to them?

At some point in our lives, we have felt defeated. Perhaps we feel defeated today by events or a situation. But being defeated does not have to be the end. We can rise victorious over any situation. Sounds impossible? It is true!

We state Jesus is victorious, and that is true. If He is victorious and He is drawing us to Him, how can we be defeated? In His death and resurrection, evil was overcome. Jesus not only defeated evil and death, but He said He is drawing all of us to Him.

Notice that Jesus is both prophesying about the type of death He would suffer and His defeat of Satan. There are ongoing battles and skirmishes. But we can rest assured that the war has been won. Jesus has defeated Satan. In His victory, He invites us to join Him.

The world has been judged and will be judged again when Jesus returns. Jesus was both lifted up on the cross and ascended to heaven. By God’s grace, we do not need to go to a cross to ascend with Him to heaven. Thanks be to God!

I pray we all know that Jesus has conquered evil. I pray we know that we are no longer defeated. I pray each one of us believe we have victory in Jesus and will ascend into heaven with Him when we leave this earth. Believe Jesus is victorious. Believe you are victorious. Know that Jesus is drawing you to Him.

John 12:31-32 “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Seeking Jesus

Is there someone you would really like to see? Is it a famous person? Why are they famous? Are they famous for movies, television, music, sports, or otherwise in the limelight? Do you want to Jesus as badly as you want to see them? Why? Why not?

We can get caught up in the hype we hear about famous people. It’s like a rising tide that overwhelms us. We call it peer pressure or cultural norms, and we fall prey to it. Yet, we don’t have to allow ourselves to follow the crowd. In many cases, we shouldn’t.

Jesus had a certain amount of notoriety when He was going about His ministry on earth. His teachings were controversial. He taught people that they could be free of the traditions that had been wrapped around God’s law. He spoke of no longer needing to perform sacrifices. He taught that loving God and loving neighbor is the most important thing we can do.

Jesus was well known enough that even some gentiles wanted to see Him. They had heard about Him and wanted to see Him. So much so that they approached His disciples to arrange a meeting. They had questions they wanted answered. They wanted to discuss His teachings and likely wanted clarification; a better understanding of what God expected of them.

We need to be like those gentiles who were seeking Jesus. We also should be asking questions and listening for answers. Jesus is standing by, waiting for us to come to Him. Through His Holy Spirit, He will provide us answer if our hearts and minds are willing and open to hearing His guidance. We can’t fake it. It must be authentic.

I pray we all seek with all our heart to know Jesus. I pray we ask Him questions and listen for answers. I pray each one of us open our hearts and minds to hear and feel the Holy Spirit. Seek to know Jesus. Have conversation with Him. Open your heart to Jesus. Listen for guidance from the Holy Spirit.

John 12:20-21 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”

God’s Ways

What do you know of the priesthood? Do you know the origin of the priesthood? Do you know the duties of priests in the temple? Do you know the duties of the high priest? Do you think of Jesus as a high priest? Why or why not? Does it change the way you view Him?

The priesthood was established through Aaron, Moses’ brother. They were of the tribe of Levi, thereby called Levitical priests. Aaron was the first priest who was allowed to go into the Holy of Holies, which is where the ark of the covenant was. Traditions were handed down through the centuries.

What do you know about Melchizedek? Most of us know very little. In fact, the Bible does not have much to say about him. We know he met with Abraham and blessed him. Abraham gave him one tenth of what he owned. We know Melchizedek was the King of Salem, which is Jerusalem. We are also told he was a high priest of God.

The author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 110:4 in Hebrews 5:6. He states that Jesus is a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Why? Based on Genesis 14:17-24, Psalm 110:4, and extrabiblical Jewish sources, we can say that Melchizedek was a prototype for Jesus. In other words, Melchizedek was a forerunner or a foretaste of who Jesus would be.

Additionally, Melchizedek was not a Levitical priest. He was appointed as a priest by God before Levi was born. Jesus was not of the tribe of Levi, but of the tribe of Judah. Neither Melchizedek nor Jesus was of the Levitical priesthood line. This simply demonstrates that God uses people who are willing to serve him no matter what their background is. It is not about a physical bloodline but about the bloodline of Jesus who saves all who come to Him.

I pray we all seek to better understand God’s ways. I pray we learn how God works by studying his Word. I pray each one of us know it is through the shedding of Jesus’ blood that we are saved. Seek God’s ways. Study God’s Word. Know it is Jesus’ blood that saves. Be willing to be used by God.

Hebrews 5:8-10 Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

A Clean Heart

What do you ask God for when you pray? Are you asking in accordance with his will? Are all your requests for yourself, your family, or people you know? Do you ask for things? Do you ask for a better job? Do your prayers only consist of requests?

Praying is a very important part of building our relationship with God. Spending time in conversation with God is as important as conversing with a good friend. We need that time, and he wants that time. The more time we spend with him, the closer we draw to him.

We have likely been told that we need to thank God as well, and that is true. But let’s focus on our requests today. There is nothing wrong with asking for our needs. However, we need to take time to discern the difference between our needs and our wants. We can even ask for our wants, but need to ensure we ask God to reveal his will. Is it his will to give us what we want? He may have something much better in mind for us. Or he may be stopping us from going down a path we shouldn’t go down by denying us our want.

Asking to make us a better person is certainly within his will. Asking him to continue to change us into the person he wants us to be is pleasing to God. Seeking to have our spirit in sync with his Spirit is pleasing to him. As we read today’s passage, we may start singing the hymn Create in Me a Clean Heart. Singing that hymn as a prayer is pleasing God. As our hearts are made clean and our spirit becomes synchronized with his Spirit, God is pleased, and our lives become far better than they otherwise would be.

I pray we all pray within God’s will. I pray we ask for those things that are pleasing to God. I pray each one of us seeks to have a clean heart and our spirits to be in sync with the Holy Spirit. Pray in God’s will. Ask for things that are pleasing to God. Seek a clean heart. Seek to be in sync with the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God, 

and put a new and right spirit within me.

Seek Mercy

Do you have a favorite sin that you just can’t get rid of? Do you feel guilty every time it raises its ugly head? Would you like to rid yourself of it forever? Have you taken it before God? Have you poured out your heart and asked God to remove it from you?

We all have our favorite sin or sins. We may be able to overcome one or two of them on our own with sheer will power. However, there is almost always at least one that we cannot. We must have God’s help. We must ask him to remove it from us.

Our sins come in many shapes and forms. They range from our speech to our behavior to our attitudes to our thoughts and to physical actions. We know we shouldn’t do them or be that way, but we just can’t help ourselves…literally! We try and try, but we can’t stop. We commit to stopping and fall for them again.

There is only one way we can rid ourselves from them. We must submit to God and ask him to take them away. Our submission must be complete. We must be ready to give them up. Yet, we often want to hold on to them with our hands clinched around them as though our life depended on it. Unfortunately, our life really depends on us letting them go.

King David knew what it meant to have his sin ever before him. He knew what it meant to fall to his knees before God and beg him to remove it. He did so and God called him a man after his own heart. We, too, can fall before God and beg him to remove our sin. God can and will remove it from us, so long as we are willing to submit to him.

I pray we all choose to submit to God. I pray we ask God to have mercy on us. I pray each one of us will ask God to cleanse us and remove our sin from us. Submit to God. Ask him to remove your sin. Ask God for his mercy. Be cleansed by God. Be set free from your sin.

Psalm 51:1-3

Have mercy on me, O God, 

according to your steadfast love; 

according to your abundant mercy 

blot out my transgressions. 

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, 

and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, 

and my sin is ever before me.

New Covenant – Part II

Yesterday, we began discussing covenant. Jeremiah had prophesied that God would make a new covenant with his people. Today, we see what that covenant was going to be. God’s people are those who choose to follow his Son, rather than just Israel and Judah.

Does the covenant mentioned in today’s passage look familiar? Does it look like the teaching of Jesus? How has God written his law on your heart? Have you learned from God? Do you accept his forgiveness? Are you grateful for his amazing grace?

We may not think that God has written his law on our heart, but he did when he gave us his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit interacts with our spirit and teaches us right and wrong. We often call it our conscience. But it is more than that. For the Holy Spirit also interprets God’s Word for us. He also intercedes for us in prayer when we don’t know what to pray because he knows our inner most thoughts, struggles, and needs.

Jeremiah prophesied that God would forgive our iniquity. We often disobey and need forgiveness. God said long ago that he would forgive us. Not because we deserve it but because God loves us and wants us to be with him. Through our wrongdoing and forgiveness, God continues to teach us. We continue to progress in maturity, growing to be more like Jesus. This demonstrates God’s amazing love and grace for us.

I pray we all accept God’s new covenant. I pray we listen to the Holy Spirit as he speaks to our spirit. I pray each one of us know that God loves us and covers us with his amazing grace. Accept God’s covenant. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Know you are forgiven. Know that God loves you. You are covered by God’s amazing grace.

Jeremiah 31:33-34 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

New Covenant – Part I

What does the word covenant mean to you? Do you think of it as a handshake and a promise? Do you think of it as a contract? Will you honor a covenant, promise, or contract you make with someone else? Will you honor the covenant God has made and you agreed to?

Covenant is a word we don’t use much anymore. In many ways it is like a contract. In other ways, it is like a handshake and a promise. When we are talking about God’s covenant, God is giving us far more than we are giving him. Yet, we often fail to honor his covenant with us.

God made a few covenants with his people. First, he made a covenant with Noah after the flood, stating he would never flood the world again. Later, he made a covenant with Abraham, telling him that his descendants would be innumerable. He made that covenant again with Abraham’s son, Isaac. He then extended it again to Isaac’s son, Jacob/Israel. After bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, God made a covenant with them and gave them the law, the ten commandments and more.

But God saw that we humans are not capable of keeping his law perfectly. So, he planned to make a new covenant. His prophet Jeremiah delivered God’s promise of a new covenant coming. Of course, Jeremiah was thinking the covenant would be with Israel and Judah. (Remember, they had split into two nations by this time.)

What Jeremiah had not foreseen is that God was going to make his covenant not only with Israel and Judah, but with all people and all nations throughout the world. It would take many years to spread the good news of Jesus to all the world, but God’s covenant is available to everyone. God has provided his covenant. It is up to us to accept it and honor it.

I pray we all accept God’s covenant made in Jesus Christ. I pray we honor his covenant. I pray each one of us will seek to better understand God’s covenant and uphold our end of it. God promised a new covenant. He has delivered it in his Son, Jesus Christ. Accept his covenant. Honor his covenant.

Jeremiah 31:31 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.