Update

"A time to keep silence, and a time to speak." Ecclesiastes 3:7

Has God ever told you something subtly? You were so busy doing His will that you did not take time to listen to what He was telling you.

That's what happened with me about a month ago. I started this blog because it was what God had asked me to do. I don't know why He asked me to do it, but after some avoidance, I submitted to His will. The Lord blessed me immensely through this blog.

However, in January God started telling me to take a break becuase my little wagon was so overloaded. I resisted for a while because I knew this was what God had asked me to do, so why was He now telling me otherwise? A quick inventory of my life would have revealed why. Our twins had surgery in January, numerous doctor appointments awaited us, and our personal commitments were piled high.

The verse in Ecclesiastes helps me to understand what God was telling me. Writing this blog was my time to speak out for the kingdom of God. Taking this break for rest and study is my time to keep the silence God speaks of. I have realized that this does not make me a quitter or a failure, like I once thought when I stopped writing. It doesn't mean that I am not passionate about His will and helping others. It simply means that God has once again told me to do something that I was not completely comfortable with, but I did it anyways because I know that He has my best interest in mind.

When the Lord tells me to start writing again, you will be the first to know. Thank you for your concern and support as I enjoy this rest God has given me.

I Am Weak, But He Is Strong

You know the verse in "Jesus Loves Me" that says, "they are weak, but He is strong..."

We associate "Jesus Loves Me" as being a song for children. But let me tell you, that song was for me yesterday. There are so many times in adults' lives when we think we are too old and educated for the fundamentals of God's love.

But, the simplicity of God's love is what makes it so profound.

In our lives stuff happens, we stay busy, we don't have enough time to get everything done, we are overwhelmed, but Christians don't need to worry because we have Jesus. When we start feeling this way we need to do two things. We need to pray and get in the Word.

Many of you know that our twins had minor surgery on Monday to put tubes in their ears. (Their surgery went very well, Thank You Lord!) The surgery, and other illnesses, got our week off to a crazy start. Our son has been sick, my husband has been sick, and our twins have been recovering. Needless to say, the stress has been mounting around here.

As I was throwing myself a personal pity party I thought about those words in "Jesus Loves Me." I had already sang the song to my kids earlier in the day, but this time I sang it for myself. Because, you know what, I am weak, but He is strong. I can't do all of this alone, my strength is not sufficient. But Jesus' strength is all I need.

You've probably heard this verse I am going to tell you a million times. And that is a good thing. We hear this verse over and over and over because its truth is so profound:

"I can do all thing through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13

Know God's Will

"Do not give God ready-made plans for Him to bless." (H. Mears)

We often want God to bless our own will. We think we've got it all figured out, and if God would just go along with our plans, everything would be perfect. I know it sounds ridiculously foolish, but don't act like you've never done it!

I think we do this without truly realizing it. We pray and ask God for His guidance, and for His will to be done in our lives, all while our subconcious is planning away without waiting on God.

The hardest part for us to wrap our minds around is that God's plans will be better than anything we could have conjured up ourselves. However, the fear of the unknown is what prevents us from diving head-first into God's will and trusting Him completely.

Ephesians 5:17 says, "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." 

Let's seek the Lord and His will. Our plans stink compared to God's plans. The devil wants us to be nervous to trust God's plans ---- simply because we will miss out on all the blessings and joy that comes with being obedient to God's will.

Refrigerator Worthy

We put our kids' best artwork on our refrigerators. So, if God had a refrigerator, which work of yours would be on His refrigerator?

"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name" Hebrews 6:10

Now remember, this would have to be your best work done for Him... So, which one would God be so pleased with, that He just had to put it on the fridge so He could look at it over and over and let everyone else see it?

I hope that something is coming to mind. But, let's take a moment to step back and remember that we do not earn God's love with our works. Just like our kids don't earn our love with their works. However, every once in a while our kids do something so awesome that just makes us so proud of them. God is the same way because He is our Heavenly Father.

I think this is a good way to take a self-inventory of what we are contributing to the kingdom of the Lord. Let's all take time to think and pray about this today.

P.S. Don't post your answers! Only you and God should know what you are putting on His refrigerator!

Message For The Righteous

"Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat they fruit of their doings." Isaiah 3:10

God promises that we will eat the fruit of our doings whether we are righteous people or wicked people. It all follows the, "you reap what you sew" principle. Take a look at what happens to the wicked:

"Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him." Isaiah 3:11

Its tough to live in a nation and world filled with so much wickedness. Christians have to make a choice to operate under God's standards and not the world's standards.

The people operating in wickedness are under the judgement of God. And trust me, that is a scary place to be. However, the righteous are spared God's wrath and judgement. The righteous will not only be spared, but they will be rewarded as well.

And here's the real kicker --- Christians can operate in wickedness. Just because we are a Christian doesn't mean that we automatically live righteous lives. Wickedness can creep in and destroy anyone. So, what should we do? We need to ask the Lord to help us be diligent in protecting our hearts from wickedness, and cultivate righteousness in our hearts.

Deliverance

"I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4

"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." Psalm 34:7

"The righteous cry, and the  Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles." Psalm 34:17

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." Psalm 34:19

Psalm 34 mentions deliverance for the Lord's righteous many times. As I was reading these verses, one thing stood out more than anything else. The Lord does not promise us perfect circumstances. However, the Lord always promises to deliver us from the trouble and hardship we endure.

If God gave us perfect circumstances, we would not have to trust Him. Our trust and faith is strengthened through stinky circumstances because all of our hope is centered on the promise that God will deliver us.

Marriage: A Promise

Marriage is a commitment to our husband or wife, and a commitment to God. Not only is it a commitment, but it is a promise as well. Look at what Jesus says about marriage:

"But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." Mark 10: 6-9

If you've ever been to any weddings you've probably heard those words. I think this passage has been recited in so many wedding ceremonies that we have forgotten what it really means.

There is a song called "Dancing in the Minefields" that I have attached below. This song has a wonderful Christian perspective on marriage. My favorite line in the song says, "It was harder than we dreamed, but I believe that's what the promise is for."

How true is that? We don't make promises for things that are easy. We make promises for the things that take work, faith, and commitment. Even promises are hard, but not nearly as hard when we have Christ.

Give Me the Words

"And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel" Ephesians 6:19 

Telling others about Jesus takes a boldness that is hard to understand. Its not easily understood because it is provided by the Holy Spirit.

I really like this scripture that Paul wrote in Ephesians. Paul didn't want to speak to people using his own words. He knew that his own thoughts and words could never provide the level of spiritual power and purity as those of God's. So, what did Paul do? He asked God to give him the words to speak so that he could share powerfully.

God wants us to rely on Him for this provision. It takes practice and obedience because our human nature is full of its own thoughts and ideas fighting to spill out of our mouths.

Nobody likes to be wrong, so why not rely on the infallible God to give us the words, instead of our fallible selves.

God's Chosen Vessel

"And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel." Acts 9: 10-15

Paul (originally Saul) came on the scene after Jesus' death and resurrection. He was a Jew that was persecuting Christians. Well, Jesus got a hold of him on the road to Damascus and Saul later became Paul who expanded the gospel of Jesus Christ over a great amount of territory for many years. Paul wrote many of the books in the New Testament.

The scripture above tells of Jesus sending Ananias to restore Paul's vision that he lost on the road to Damascus. Ananias did what most of us would foolishly do... he asked Jesus if He was sure about what He was asking, because Paul was notorious for persecuting Christians.

Then Jesus tells Ananias that Paul is His chosen vessel. I cannot think of any higher honor to bestow upon a person. Ananias was looking at Paul's past, but Jesus was looking at his future. Aren't you glad that Jesus doesn't see us the way the world sees us? Jesus sees us for what He has called us to do. Others may underestimate us, and we often underestimate ourselves, but Jesus will never do that.

The Abundance of the Heart Speaks

"for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things." Matthew 12: 34-35

Sometimes our words don't linger long in our minds to get our own approval, and they spill out everywhere creating a big mess. Jesus tells us in this verse that the words we speak are a direct reflection of what is in our heart. If Christ dwells in our heart, our words should reflect that.

Its funny how we can quickly determine a person's character based on what comes out of his or her mouth. But I don't think that Christians should get all high and mighty thinking that their hearts are incapable of spewing forth evil... because that is a lie straight from the enemy.

As a matter of fact, I think that Christians should use this as an opportunity to take a look at what we are saying. Taking inventory of our words will show us a true reflection of our heart.

Think about this... We have to clean our homes everyday or things will get filthy and disgusting pretty fast. Well if our heart is Jesus' home, some of us only cleaned up once when Jesus got there. Jesus is still there, but the house is pretty dirty. We need to maintain our hearts with all diligence and make it a home that reflects the true nature of Christ. That way, when we speak, our words won't shock us as well as who's listening.

No Better Time Than Now

"behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2

Do you ever think about the fact that Jesus could return at any moment? Jesus could literally break through the clouds at any moment and call His children home. Its exciting if you have accepted the salvation Jesus offers. But at the same time, it will be terrifying for those who have not.

There will be many people left behind after Jesus' return because they refused to accept the salvation Jesus died and rose again to give us.

And of course there is always the possibility that any of us could die before Jesus' return. Either way, we have an eternal destination waiting for us. God has given us a freewill to choose heaven or hell. If you feel God pulling at your heart to make the decision to give your life to Him, all you have to do is accept His Son into your heart and life and ask Jesus to forgive you. Its that easy. Check out the tab called "Becoming a Christian!" on the main page of this blog for more information.

Eating "Un-Happy Meals"

Everyone loves a Happy Meal. My kids love a Happy Meal. I can't decide if its the cheeseburger, fries, toy, or a combination of all three that makes them the happiest.

However, I am thinking there are lots of people out there eating some "Un-Happy Meals." I think that I have eaten quite a few of them myself at times. Maybe the "Un-Happy Meals" would explain why so many people are whining and complaining.

Are you familiar with what murmuring is? To murmur means, "a half-suppressed, or muttered complaint: grumbling" (Meriam-Webster, 2011).

Here's my thinking on our problem with murmuring: If we are murmuring, there has to be some reason we are unhappy. What is it in our lives that is creating so much unhappiness and causing us to sin through murmuring? Aha! --- Life's Circumstances. There we have it, life's circumstances are the problem because they are often stinky.

Jesus went to the cross and became our perfect sacrifice so we could live victoriously and rejoice in our salvation through Him. That means that when we have Christ, worldly circumstances should not be determining our level of happiness. Jesus knew we would act this way! That is why He told us this:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33 

If we want the rest of the world to desire the happiness we have in Christ, we need to start showing it.

Its His

I hope that you have enjoyed the series on Psalm 22. There is one more scripture from the 22nd Psalm that I would like for us to look at.

"For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is governor among the nations." Psalm 22:28 

Now look at what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:24:

"Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power." 1 Corinthians 15:24

These verses are very encouraging for Christians. They describe Christ's victory and authority over all things. We still struggle in a fallen world every day, but reading verses like these remind us that our battle is already won. And the great part about our victory is that Christ did all the work for us, we only had to accept His gift.

Thank you Lord.

A Broken Heart

Jesus' heart was broken when He was on the cross. Despite all of the physical trauma His body experienced, the anguish and suffering of His heart was much greater.

Look at how the psalmist David eludes to the agony within Jesus' heart:

"my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels." Psalm 22:14

Just consider all the sin Jesus was bearing on the cross. The sins of an entire world, even future sins. No other person has experienced the burden of sin that Jesus bore. The emotional and spiritual distress Jesus experienced was unlike anything in this world. The following verses are from each of the gospel accounts and describe the moment of Jesus' death.

"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost." Matthew 27:50

"And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost." Mark 15:37

"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." Luke 23:46

"he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." John 19:30

Read this excerpt from a book that analyzes the connection between the 22nd Psalm and the New Testament account of Jesus' crucifixion:

"Jesus died of a broken heart. He bore the reproach and shame for others. Bearing our sins hid Him from His Father's face; this is what broke His heart. Death by a broken heart is very rare. It is caused by intense agony of suffering" (Mears, 1999).

Each of these verses makes reference to the fact that Jesus "gave up" or "yielded" the ghost. Jesus knew that He would have to suffer the punishment for sin so that we could be forgiven. His heart was broken because of how the sins of the world separated Him from God. And let's never forget that out of all the sins Jesus bore, not a single sin was His own. Jesus was sinless, blameless, spotless - but He became the sacrifice.

We rejoice because that was not the end of the story! Oh no, Jesus defeated sin and gave us the promise of eternal salvation and forgiveness through His resurrection. He paid the price and all we have to do is accept the gift.

Pierced

"For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet." Psalm 22:16

David refers to pierced hands and feet, which refer to the wounds Jesus suffered during His crucifixion. David describes the practice of crucifixion in a period of time before it was being used as a method of execution by the Jews.

I recently read one author's commentary on this scripture and it was enlightening: "Crucifixion! The Roman method of death by crucifixion is described here. The Jewish law did not know of this method. These words give the description of crucifixion -- hands and feet nailed to the cross" (Mears, 1999).

During the time that Jesus was in Jerusalem, the city was under Roman authority. The Romans used the method of crucifixion. Thus Jesus was crucified.

"And they crucified him..." Matthew 27:35

"And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him" Luke 23:33

"And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him" John 19: 17-18

The Thirst

Did you know that Jesus was offered a drink two times during His crucifixion? Did you also know that the first time He refused the drink, and the second time He accepted. Let's look at the details of the prophecy, of what Jesus said before His crucifixion, and of what happened during the crucifixion.

Prophecy:
"My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death." Psalm 22:15

The 15th verse of Psalm 22 is very descriptive of the extreme level of physical thirst Jesus experienced on the cross.

Jesus' Words During the Last Supper:
Look at the scripture that records what Jesus said at the Last Supper regarding what He would not drink:
"Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Mark 14:25
"But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." Matthew 26:29

The First Drink that Jesus Refused at His crucifixion:
"They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink." Matthew 27:34
"And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not." Mark 15:23

Jesus said He would not drink the fruit of the vine from the time of the Last Supper until He could drink of it born anew in His Father's kingdom. ---- So, when the Roman soldiers offered Jesus wine with gall, He refused it. Another fact that is important to realize is that wine mixed with gall (myrrh) served narcotic purposes that numbed pain. Jesus knew that His mind and body could not be hindered by narcotics and be the pure sacrifice to bear the sins of the world.

The Drink Jesus Accepted:
Jesus did accept a drink after He refused the one of wine and gall. The second drink was vinegar.
"And straightaway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink." Matthew 27:48
"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth." John 19: 28-29

Reading and analyzing these scriptures is awakening. So many times we hear details about Jesus' crucifixion, like the vinegar, and we file it in our minds as a list of facts. There is no real understanding that fosters a true comprehension --- we just know it happened. I want to challenge you today to know the "why" behind all the "whats"! Jesus didn't refuse that first drink because He wasn't thirsty! There was a reason. A reason founded in scripture, and it is the reason that makes all the difference.

Cast Lots

"They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture." Psalm 22:18

This verse in particular absolutely astonishes me. The fact that an Old Testament psalmist living generations and generations before Jesus, could write such a detailed description of one of the offenses at Jesus' crucifixion demonstrates the Almighty power of God.

Many are familiar with the scriptures that tell of Roman soldiers gambling at the foot of the cross for Jesus' garment. The act is a vivid example of how sin can harden hearts and allow people to commit such offensive and disrespectful acts. Take a look at how the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John give an account of the casting of lots for Jesus' garment:

"And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots." Matthew 27:35

"And they parted his raiment, and cast lots." Luke 23:34

"Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be" John 19: 23-24

I am grieved just thinking about people casting lots for Jesus' garments like they were some sort of trophy. It breaks my heart. My prayer is that your heart will be touched as you read this, just as mine has, and you will experience a renewed love for Christ.

No Bone Broken

"...and all my bones are out of joint..." Psalm 22:14

When Jesus was crucified, not one bone in His body was broken. This fulfills the prophecy that was written in Psalm 34:20: "He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken."

The Gospel of John gives us an account of how this prophecy was fulfilled during Jesus' crucifixion.

"The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for the sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs" John 20: 31-33

Breaking the legs of the person being crucified sped up their death. When the legs were broken, the person could no longer push the weight of their body up, against the nail in their feet, to fill their lungs with air. The two criminals that were crucified on either side of Jesus had their legs broken by the Roman soldiers. Jesus had already given up His spirit at this point, so His legs were not broken.

I think it is important to also focus on how Psalm 22:14 describes Jesus' bones at the crucifixion. Verse 14 does not mention anything about broken bones. Instead, it mentions bones that are out of joint. The bones being pulled out of joint relates directly to Jesus' crucifixion as well. When a person was crucified, the weight of their entire body hung by the nails in their wrist/hand area. The weight of the body would ultimately cause the shoulders and elbows to be pulled out of joint. I read an article written by a doctor that describes the occurrence of Jesus' experiencing dislocation stating, "When the cross was erected upright, there was tremendous strain put on the wrists, arms and shoulders, resulting in a dislocation of the shoulder and elbow joints" (Terasaka, 2010).

You may be thinking this is pretty graphic. And you know what? It is! Understanding the suffering Jesus did for you and me should make us even more thankful for what He did for us. We have become so desensitized to the image of Christ on the cross. It should break our heart, and cause us to rejoice at the same time to know that we have a Savior who loves us that much to give His life for ours.

And don't get lost in the fact that Jesus died to save the world. Jesus would have still gone to the cross and endured every moment of suffering if you or I were the only person in the world. That is how much He loves us!

Poured Out

"I am poured out like water..." Psalm 22:14

We will focus on the first phrase of verse 14 today. The first part of Psalm 22:14 is symbolic of the blood and water that poured forth from Jesus' side when He was pierced on the cross. John 19:34 gives an account of the blood and water of Jesus:

"But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water." John 19:34

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior our sins are atoned for by the blood of Jesus. Atone is defined as making something "obsolete, [or to] supply satisfaction for." The blood of Jesus makes all of our past sins obsolete when we ask Jesus for that mercy and forgiveness.

However, the water that poured forth from Jesus' side is symbolic in how we are washed clean from the sins that have been atoned for. The combination of Jesus' blood and water make redemption complete and allow the redeemed to stand before God clothed in righteousness through Christ.

Brazil for Christ Update

Hello Everyone!

At the beginning of December I posted about Jonathan & Erin Matthews who are missionaries in Brazil. Their ministry is called Brazil for Christ. I want to give you a quick update on the money God provided through their partners and supporters. Here is what Jonathan recently wrote:

"...I needed $128,000 to build the entire first phase of our project and by November I had little hope of raising the needed funds.
On November 30 God allowed me to meet a Christian business-man who offered to match, dollar for dollar, any funds I was able to raise in the month of December. My initial excitement gave way to reason, "I have been fishing all night, how could I catch something by simply casting the net on this side of the boat" - But I believed God opened this door of opportunity for a reason. I wrote people, I called people, I sent emails, and I drove about 4,000 miles to personally present this opportunity to many of you. In the end God gave us $72,000 through our ministry partners. With the additional matching funds, God has done exceeding,...abundantly,...above,...all that we asked or imagined!"

The Mockery

"All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him." Psalm 22: 7-8 

Now take a look at what the mockers said among themselves and to Jesus at the cross:

"He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God." Matthew 27:43

"And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God." Luke 23:35

The people mocking Jesus were the same people who witnessed or heard of the many miracles Jesus had performed. These people knew that Jesus had fed the 5,000, raised the dead to live again, restored the sight of the blind, made the cripple walk again, and healed the sick. They knew all of these things, and yet they still could not believe that Jesus was the Christ. I really wonder if they would have believed even if Jesus had got down off the cross and showed them once and for all that He is the Son of God.

These people were demanding proof that Jesus had already given them. I guess that is what is so frustrating about these people. No matter what Jesus did, it wasn't enough to convince them. Here's the real kicker - There are so many people in the world today struggling with the same inability to believe.

Believing in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior takes a lot of faith. However, when a Christian educates himself or herself in the Word, their faith will be strengthened because of the truth the Bible delivers. God doesn't ask us to believe in something that He hasn't already proven to us.

Despised of the People

"But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people." Psalm 22:6

Now look at these verses at the scene of Jesus' crucifixion:

"And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads... Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders" Matthew 27: 39, 41

"And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him" Luke 23:35

Crucifixions were offensive and heinous. Many of the people that watched Jesus on the cross were active in seeing Him crucified. These verses reflect the reproach they held for Jesus in their hearts. The word "reproach" is defined as "an expression of rebuke or disapproval."

Psalm 22 uses the phrase "despised of the people." Jesus was despised by many people. These verses are excellent at portraying that feeling of contempt and rejection. However, Jesus gave Himself up to be placed on the cross for those very same people that harbored such a feeling of reproach against Him.

And here's the best part! What did Jesus say when all of this was going on? What did Jesus ask God on behalf of the people who were persecuting him? --- "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34

Jesus' Cry

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?" Psalm 22:1

"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, E'li, E'li, la'ma sabach'thani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46

"And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Elo'i, Elo'i, la'ma sabach'thani? which is, being interpreted, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Mark 15:34

The first verse of Psalm 22 was written by David many generations before Jesus was ever born into the world. However, these words, written so many years before, are Jesus' exact words of suffering on the cross. The verses listed from Matthew and Mark are the New Testament Gospel accounts of what happened as Jesus was crucified.

Our sin separates us from God. Jesus never committed any sin while He lived on the earth. That is what made Jesus the ultimate, perfect sacrifice for all of mankind. When Jesus cried out these words of suffering on the cross, it was during the time that all sin was placed on His shoulders. Jesus bore every person's sin and God could not look upon that sin.

The psalmist includes the phrase "why art thou so far from helping me" This question for God illustrates the divide that sin creates between man and God. God cannot embrace sin. That is why He sent Jesus to be our sacrificial bridge to Himself. When we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we can stand before God forgiven of our sins and righteous in His sight.

This is very powerful. As a Christian we need to be able to reference these kinds of scripture to back up our beliefs with the infallible Word of God. That is why it is so important to read our Bibles. I never knew that Psalm 22 talked about Jesus' crucifixion until I started reading it! I've owned a Bible and gone to church, but owning a Bible and sitting in a pew is not all that God expects of us. We need to have a Bible and we need to go to church, but there is a lot of time in between that we need to fill actively searching the Word of God and seeking the Lord in prayer.

Psalm 22

When we think of the Psalms, the 22nd Psalm is not usually the first one that comes to mind. We are much more familiar with the 23rd Psalm --- "The Lord is my shepherd..." 

Psalm 22 is powerful because it presents an Old Testament account of Jesus' New Testament crucifixion. Verse after verse in Psalm 22 foreshadows Jesus' suffering on the cross. Dr. Mears explains it this way in her book What the Bible is All About, "Psalm 22 gives a picture of Calvary. We see the crucifixion portrayed here more clearly than in any other part of the Old Testament" (Mears, 1953).

So many people in the world are wanting proof that they can believe God is real and trust that Jesus is the Savior for the world. It is only natural to want proof. Especially when you consider how many religions are in the world. People want the truth and there is only One truth. It is chapters like Psalm 22 that I think provide people with the proof they need to believe that Jesus is our Savior and Lord. When God provides us with a record of an event that was written hundreds of years before the event actually occurred, we need to see that for the proof it is.

Psalm 22 was written by David. Jesus is of the lineage of David. Matthew 1:17 tells us that King David preceded Jesus' birth by 28 generations in their connecting lineage. (That is a long time.)

I tell you all this to give you a better perspective on how much time passed between the time David wrote Psalm 22 and the time Jesus was crucified.

Over the next week or two we are going to go through almost every verse in Psalm 22. We are going to analyze the verses and then find how that scripture was lived out by Jesus in the New Testament.

We can't predict the future, but God can. God already has. Psalm 22 was God's way of giving a glimpse into the future horrific suffering His Son would suffer on the cross for you and me.

Technical Difficulties

Good Morning Everyone!

Blogger has been experiencing some technical difficulties and I have been unable to post until now! Check back soon for today's devotion.

Janice :)

Where's Your Hope?

"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24

This verse starts out talking about endurance. Our lives are going to have ups and downs, but God reminds us to be of good courage because He is the One providing the strength we need to get through. And then there's a little comma that leads into the next part --- "all ye that hope in the Lord."

Hope is so easily misplaced these days. (I would venture to say that hope has been frequently misplaced since sin entered the world.) We often put our hope in other people. And then those people fail us or disappoint us and we are left feeling lost, weak, abandoned, and misguided. We put our hope in material things and those things fail because they break, malfunction, or don't meet our expectations. Then we are left feeling cheated, defeated, and worried about what could possibly be reliable.

Do you see the pattern here? When we put our hope in anything but God, we will suffer the lack of peace that results. This verse could not possibly end without the phrase of "all ye that hope in the Lord," because the promise that God will strengthen us when we are of good courage is contingent upon our ability to put our hope in the Lord!

Water: Gotta Have It

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14

A strange thing happened yesterday in Decatur, Alabama. The entire city's water flow was reduced to very little, or none at all. Businesses closed and the city officials told citizens to save water for emergency purposes only. All of this happened because of operational problems at the water treatment plant.

I don't know about you, but I have never experienced a lack of water in my life. I turn on the faucet and the water is there. I know enough about worldwide living conditions to know that most people around the world do not have the reliable, clean water source that I am accustomed to.

Well, all this attention on water made me think about the Biblical significance of water. Water references are found throughout the entire Bible. God created water. We need physical water to sustain our bodies in order to survive. However, our spirits need spiritual water that can only be attained through Jesus Christ.

The spiritual water that Christ fills us with will never run out. Our spirit will not thirst for anything when it has Jesus fulfilling its every need. The absence of physical water or spiritual water equals death either way. If you have an abundant water supply in Jesus Christ, make sure you are sharing it with others so they will not thirst as well.

A Look at Anger

"Be ye angry, and sin not" Ephesians 4:26

I cannot think of many times when I have been angry and did not sin. But this verse in Ephesians tells us directly to not sin when we are angry. How is this possible? Let's look at Jesus and see...

This is what happened when Jesus discovered the temple taken over by money changers and such -- "And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise." John 2: 14-16

Was Jesus angry? Yes. But what kind of anger was it? Let's look at how anger is defined. Anger is, "a strong feeling of displeasure." But there are different categories of anger that relate the intensity of the emotion. It is at this point that we see the different stages at which anger becomes a sin. Anger is a sin when it is manifested in the forms of rage, fury, or wrath. The dictionary is attentive to point out that, "anger, the most general term, names the reaction but in itself conveys nothing about intensity or justification or manifestation of the emotional state"

The anger that Jesus experienced is what the dictionary refers to as indignation. Or, what we could call "righteous indignation." Take a look at what indignation is..."Indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful."

The words righteous anger tell us everything we need to know. There is no sin in anger that is based out of righteous indignation. We can be angry about injustices and wrongs without falling into sin. However, anger is often hard to control and must be attended to with all diligence and the help of the Holy Spirit lest not we fall into rage, fury, or wrath and find ourselves in sin.

--- Studying Biblical anger has been enlightening to me. I am glad that God has given us the emotion of indignation because we live in a fallen world where sin and injustice occur. However, the enemy can use anger against us because it is such a powerful emotion that can create such a reaction within us. Give me your thoughts on this if you have a chance today. ---

Word of God

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Matthew 24:35

The word of God is everlasting. There is life in the Word. It is so very important to spend time reading the Bible everyday. It keeps our faith rooted and strong.

Whenever I think of how the Word of God lasts forever one thing always comes to my mind:

When I was very young my Granny and Pa-Paw's house burned down because of an electrical fire in their kitchen. I don't remember much at all about the fire or the way the house looked afterwards. I know that it was devastating and had to be rebuilt from the ground up. The only thing I do remember was what they said about their Bible. There was a Bible in their home during the fire. When they sorted through things afterwards they found that Bible. The cover was in bad shape, but when they opened it not a single page had been consumed by flames.

God used that to encourage my grandparents and give them strength during a troublesome time in their lives. Everything in our lives may crumble around us, but the Word of God never will.

New Year's Resolutions: The Usual Flop

The New Year rolls around and all of a sudden everyone wants to make a New Year’s resolution. A resolution is defined as “the act of determining.” So, why is it that so many New Year’s resolutions fail? Give these resolutions a couple of weeks and they have fallen by the wayside.

Well, human strength is frail when it is not coupled with God’s strength. 1 Corinthians 1:25 takes an interesting perspective on just how weak man is without God, “the weakness of God is stronger than men.” Human strength at its best is nothing compared to God’s strength and power. It’s really no wonder a resolution made solely on human strength and resolve will not last.

So, before you run out and buy that new piece of exercise equipment, let’s take a look at what God wants from us in terms of a commitment with Him. “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” Hebrews 12: 1-2.

God has a beautiful and perfect plan for our lives. It is plotted out like the race Paul describes in Hebrews. There will be times we struggle running uphill and times when we coast along running downhill. We are protected as long as we stay on the track God has laid out. Veering off is foolish and dangerous. (Most of us have learned that through experience by now!)

The wisest New Year’s resolution that could possibly be made is to recommit (or commit) ourselves to the plan God has for our lives. That resolution is not made solely out of human strength, but with the power God gives us because we are His child. Once we are in line with God’s path, all those other areas in our lives we needed to make a resolution about will be dealt with along the way in God’s timing.

New Year’s Day is not any more special than every other day God gives us. Each day is His creation and we don’t have to wait for New Year’s Day to commit to Him. That shows just how much God wants to love, lead, and bless us, because the door is always open with Him.