Wonderful Jesus!

The Lord Has Need of It!

Luke 19:30-31- “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ”

Palm Sunday, for centuries, has been considered by the church world, the beginning of Holy Week. Since “Holy Week” is predominantly a Catholic term, it’s not a phrase that I heard until I was a little older in life and the faith. However, having said that, many Christians the world over, celebrate Palm Sunday, as a precursor to the observance of Easter Sunday.

The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is told in every gospel, just as the crucifixion is. Today, I would like to just point out some things that are interesting about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem that we celebrate on Palm Sunday.

Jesus, knowing that the Jewish authorities had plans to kill Him, knowing that His hour had come, did not go into Jerusalem through the back door. He made a grand entrance. Every student of the word knows that He was fulfilling Bible prophecy, but still He showed great strength and courage.

Before entering Jerusalem, Jesus instructs two of His disciples to go into the village and get a donkey. Either He was operating in a word of knowledge, or He had a dream, or God just led Him by His Spirit, for He was able to tell them that the colt would be tied to the post and that it had never been ridden. He goes on to say that if anyone was to ask why they were loosing the colt that they were to respond that the Lord has need of it.

How did the owners know? Quite possibly through a dream. The only important detail for me, is that the owners did know and that they were glad to release the colt to the disciples for Jesus’ use.

The disciples place their garments on the colt, like one would place a saddle, and then they placed Jesus on the donkey. We know from reading the Bible, that Jesus was quite the walker, He and His disciples. But there’s something different about going to Jerusalem this time. Not only is Jesus riding a colt, but as He enters the city, people begin throwing their garments on the road, creating a “red carpet” effect for the donkey to walk on. They also begin throwing branches, (John’s gospel say they are palm branches) on the ground, all while rejoicing and praising God for His mighty works. (Quite possibly they have heard of the raising of Lazarus from the dead).

Zechariah 9:9- “Rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” This could have easily been one of those situations where Jesus said that the scriptures were being fulfilled, for it happened just as Zechariah prophesied.

Just some things to note: Kings usually rode on horses, but this King came on a colt, signifying that He is the Prince of peace and is not coming as a warrior. As He enters into the city in this prophetic manner, the citizens began to rejoice that they could now welcome Him as Messiah, as King. In Matthew and Mark, the crowd is noted as saying, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” But, in Luke and John’s gospels they add King. Whether they shouted it or not, their actions of throwing the garments down and throwing the branches down were actions acknowledging Him as King.

Why palm branches? Palm branches were symbolic of a victory and of a king. In tossing palm branches before Jesus as He entered Jerusalem, they were acknowledging Him as their victorious King! He had come! The Messiah was here!

They were also shouting Hosanna. We use it as a term of worship or praise, but it’s literal meaning is “save now”. It’s interesting to me, that this crowd was “caught up” in the Spirit and didn’t even know it. They were fulfilling or participating in the fulfillment of prophecy and yet they missed the very event they proclaimed. Their King had come!

I want to return to my verse. Jesus was in need of the colt to fulfill His entry into Jerusalem. My thought today is “what do I have that Jesus is in need of to fulfill His kingdom plans today?” I know the things that I am willing to give to Him, but is there something that He is asking me for that I have not “loosed” into His capable hands of yet? I sincerely hope not!

Jesus simply rode the colt of the owners, but once He reached His destination, He was finished with the colt. And yet, the colt was a vital part of the prophesy. What He is asking you for may seem insignificant from your lens and from mine, but this got me to thinking that from His perspective, it is needed and it is not insignificant.

In today’s culture, people would have been fighting over that colt, offering thousands of dollars to the owners for the colt; just so they could say they owned the colt that carried Jesus. There’s no telling what benefits the owners received from having given the colt to Jesus that day. What we can be sure of is that when Jesus asks us for anything, it is not to bring loss into our lives, but to bring increase!

What do you have that the Lord has need of? It could be your talents, your money, your home, your life, your all. What ever it is, if you give it to Him, you will be the better for doing so! Just loose it and trust it to the King! Wonderful Jesus!

Sometimes It’s Hard!

John 12:27 – “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. NKJV

I have been purposefully focusing on Jesus! Although, every blog should reflect Him directly or indirectly, He is my current focus!

Jesus knew that it was time to sacrifice His life on the cross. He knew that was His ultimate purpose for coming, that He might redeem us to Himself. In Revelation, Jesus is referred to as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (13:8) He was very much aware of what would happen because from heaven’s point of view it had already happened.

Although He knew He would be scourged, spit upon, and ridiculed from the very beginning, He never got off course. I have co-taught on the book of John on more than one occasion ,and it never ceases to amaze me to see how purposefully He lived even as His time drew near. Jesus, very much the Son of God and the Son of Man found that He wasn’t “really” looking forward to the cross.

When Jesus healed the blind man in chapter 9, He knew that He had signed His “death warrant” so to speak. It is from that moment that things heat up more aggressively in Jerusalem towards our Lord. Then He had the “nerve” to raise Lazarus from the dead! Hallelujah Jesus!

But this didn’t cause the people to be excited. Some of them actually left the “resurrection” party and went and “told on Jesus” to the Pharisees. Caiaphas, the high priest, prophesied that it was expedient that one man should die for the people and not that the whole nation should perish. He didn’t realize it was a prophetic word that he spoke, but it was one nevertheless. And from that moment they plotted to put Him to death.

I want to look at the word “troubled” for a minute. The Greek word for troubled is “tarasso,” and it is rendered, “to cause one inward commotion, take away his calmness of mind, disturb his equanimity”. When we think of Jesus, we think of Him as always exhibiting peace because He was peace. But here He admits that He is troubled, that He is having an inward commotion of His will. He even asks, should He request to be delivered from what is ahead? And then He replies that this is why He came. God’s will, will prevail over His troubled state of mind.

Sometimes we are faced with difficult realities. Things that will change the course of our lives, the course of a nation, the course of a family, and we have to make the tough decisions because they are the right decisions to make. That’s what Jesus did here. He could have thought about the cross, seen what would happen, and said, “not for this bunch!” They were so fickle that one day they lauded and applauded Him and the next they yelled, “crucify Him.” And throughout the centuries since that time, we have done the same things.

Some people can’t “stay” saved because it’s too hard to say no to that individual they have been sleeping with or living with who they are not married to. Some people find it too hard to “stay” saved because they enjoy some other type of sin that they are involved in. Some people find it hard to “stay” saved or get saved because, because, because! And yet the cost that Jesus paid, the thing that troubled Him, wasn’t enough to keep Him from the cross. Thank you Jesus!

I am so grateful for my salvation. I am so grateful for Jesus. I thank God that He did the hard thing to save you and me. I am so thankful that He didn’t call those legions of angels to rescue Him. I have no animosity in my heart towards the actual people who betrayed Him, yelled “crucify Him” or hung Him on the cross, because I know that He did it just for me. No one took His life, He gave it. It wasn’t easy for Him, but it was necessary for our salvation.

Some times in this walk with the Father, we have to do some hard things. We have to say “no”to some people in our lives because they don’t love our Jesus. We have to say “no” to some things on our job because they won’t glorify Jesus. We have to say no to some things in our church, yes, even there, because every good thing is not a God thing! But we should never find ourselves saying “no” to Him; because even when it was hard for Him, He said “yes” that we might have eternal life. Wonderful Jesus!

His Mission in Life!

Luke 19:9-10 – “And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” NKJV

If you read my blog on yesterday, you know that Jesus had much to say about who He is: teacher, prophet, Messiah, Son of God, to name a few. But today I want to share why He came. According to our verse for today, one of His primary reasons for coming was to “seek and to save” the lost. It’s one of the church’s primary mission to do the same. But in His own words, He came for so much more and I would like to share the other reasons in this blog:

Jesus said that He came:

To establish His kingdom- Mark 1:14
To fulfill the law-Matthew 5:17
To forgive sins-Matthew 9:6
To call sinners to repentance-Matthew 9:13
To die on the cross-Matthew 16:21
To rise from the dead-Matthew 16:21
To bear witness to the truth-John 18:37
To preach the gospel to the poor-Luke 4:18
To heal the broken-hearted -Luke 4:18
To set the captive free-Luke 4:18
To give sight to the blind -Luke 4:18
To send fire on the earth-Luke 12:49
To bring division-Luke 12:52
From God-John 8:42
That we might have life, and that more abundantly-John 10:10

Again, this may not be an exhaustive list. There may be other places in the gospels where Jesus talks of all He came to accomplish while in His body, but these are the ones that I found in my search.

Why am I even blogging on who Jesus is and what He came for? During these troubled times of the world’s focus on COVID-19, I thought it would be good to take the time and focus on Jesus. Who He is to you and what He came to do in your life. When looking at Him, everything else grows dim.

My girlfriend, and talented psalmist, wrote a song years ago: “Focus on Jesus”. In the chorus she wrote: Focus on Jesus, He’s the One who cares! No one cares for us like Jesus does. No one loves us like Jesus does. None can provide like Him. Don’t let this pandemic overtake your every thought and activity, keep your focus on Jesus!

Some of these statements Jesus made seem to be a little hard to swallow, but that’s out of context. In context, He demonstrates over and over again that He is a loving Savior, who expresses the heart of God, through the tenderness of the Holy Spirit in all that He does.

Years ago, I was invited to share with a group of college students during their weekly Bible study. My prayer before I went there was to show them the heart of God, the love of Jesus. As I was teaching, all I wanted was for them to fall in love with my Jesus! All I want through my blogs is for you to fall madly in love with Jesus because He is madly in love with you.

There’s no way I can blog almost every day and “hit the spot” every time. But if every time you click on, you see how much I love Jesus and I can convey to you how much He loves you, then my mission has been accomplished. It’s why I am blogging, it’s what I want my life to display.

Last night, Don Lemon, interviewed a pastor out of Florida. I was a little nervous to hear what he would say, seeing that some of them are refusing to honor the stay at home order. This particular pastor shared that he was honoring the order because he felt the necessity of honor the civil law. He also expressed how he didn’t want to see his people get sick or to carry sickness to their families. But then he said an amazing thing: He said that this didn’t mean that he and his congregation was afraid of COVID-19, because they are not. He and his congregation stand ready to assist anyone in need at this time, even at the risk of contracting the virus and potentially dying. I sensed his love for the Savior, and his desire to demonstrate that love. God’s people can be pretty amazing when called upon.

If during this time you are presented with an opportunity, yours truly included, to demonstrate His love in a practical way, do so! The world is waiting to see Jesus do what He came to do! And they will see it through us! Wonderful Jesus!!

What Does Jesus Say About Himself?

John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”’NKJV

In my previous post I asked the question, What will you say when someone asks you “who are you?” I mentioned that because we wear many hats in life it is typical to identify ourselves by those different hats. Well, today, I wanted to post those things that Jesus says about Himself. I may not have gotten them all, but I think that I was pretty thorough. Here they are for you:

Jesus said:

* I am the bread of life.” John 6:35

* I am the light of the world.” John 8:12

* I am the door of the sheep.” John 10:7

* I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25

* I am the good shepherd.” John 10:11

* I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6

* I am the true vine.” John 15:1

* I am the Son of Man-Matthew 16:13

* I am the Son of God-Matthew 16:17; Luke 22:70

* I am God-John 8:58

* I am the Messiah-John 4:26

* I am the Stone that the builders rejected-Matthew 21:42

* I am the chief cornerstone-Matthew 21:42

* I am the bridegroom-Mark 2:19-20

* I am willing-Matthew 8:3

* I am gentle and lowly in heart-Matthew 11:29

* I am with you always, even until the ends of the world-Matthew 28:20

* I am Teacher and Lord-John 13:13

* I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me-John 14:20

* I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last-Revelation 1:11

* I am He who lives, and was dead, and I am alive forevermore-Revelation 1:18

* I am the Root and the Offspring of David-Revelation 22:16

* I am the Bright and Morning Star-Revelation 22:16

If by now you are not thoroughly rejoicing over who Jesus is, I challenge you to read every reference in context and then you certainly will be rejoicing! As a matter of fact, I challenge you to begin thanking Him for all that He has revealed to us about who He is, and see if that doesn’t get you excited. You can simply say, ‘Jesus, I am so thankful that you are the bread of life…” It kept me awake last night thinking about it, and I was so excited this morning as I begin searching the Scriptures. He is so amazingly wonderful to me. Tomorrow’s blog will share what Jesus came to the Earth to accomplish! Wonderful Jesus!

What Will You Say?

John 1:22-23 -Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” NKJV

A few weeks ago, my husband and I watched the movie, “Overcomer” about John Harrison, a high school basketball coach who lost that position and had to become coach to a one member cross-country team. One day, while visiting a church member in the hospital he stumbles on another patient who is blind and very ill. They strike up a tentative relationship and in the conversation the patient asks John, “Who are you?”

There was another John, centuries ago, whom we refer to as John the Baptist. One day while he was going around town, the Jews stopped him and asked him, “Who are you?” There must have been some in the crowd who wondered if he was the Messiah, for he answered that he was not the Christ. So they continued to ask him, even making suggestions as to who he could be, but he denied them all until finally he answered and said, “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord”’.

John was somewhat unique in that he knew exactly who he was and what his mission in the earth was, for they were one and the same. It’s interesting that he didn’t say he was John, for maybe they knew that already. They weren’t really asking him his name. They were asking him, how do you identify yourself? He understood that and answered accordingly, he was a preparer of the way. John didn’t seek his identity, it was given to him. He, however, had to accept his identity to truly be who God designed for him to be. He wasn’t interest in adding to his identity from his surroundings, his peers, or even his family. His identity was in God and what He said about him. And although John lived a short life and died an awful death (in my opinion), he will forever be remembered for preparing the way for the Lord, for fulfilling his purpose in his life.

In the movie, John Harrison didn’t know who he was. As a matter of fact his answers were: a coach, a husband, a father, and several other titles, until finally he said a Christian. The patient marveled that being a Christian was the last thing that John said about himself, adding that if his Christianity was important to him, why was it at the bottom of the list. As the movie progresses, they become friends and John learns more about how he wants to be identified. I am purposefully being vague in case you have not seen the movie and want to watch it. It was inspiring!

What do you say about who you are? What would your answer be? John, in the movie, didn’t have it wrong. He really was all of those people, a coach, a husband, a father. What was wrong about his answer was that his identity as a Christian was at the end of the list, almost an afterthought. Haven’t you been in a similar situation where someone asks you, who are you, and you list all the things you’ve done or are doing? We all can probably remember a time when we’ve done the same thing. My first answer changes with the situation I am in. If I’m on a job interview, I might start with who I am as a professional. If I am at a birthday party, I could start with who I am in relationship to the birthday person, and so forth and so on. So I get John Harrison. Although I would like to think that being a Christian would be much higher on my list!

But it is John the Baptist who gets high marks for knowing who he was and how to answer the question! His whole life was about his God-given purpose. His identity was his purpose, and his purpose was his identity. John reminds me of Jesus. Jesus lived the same way, with His identity being His purpose and His purpose being His identity. In my next blog, because we are approaching the time when we celebrate His death, burial, and resurrection, I want to spend some time talking about how Jesus answered this question.

I was talking with my niece about some things and she kept saying, “I get it!” Well, in her words I would like to say that if you have difficulty answering this question honestly about how you identify yourself, I get it! However, if you never open your mouth and tell people who you are or what your purpose in life is outside of your church, the world should never be left wondering if you are a believer or not! If they ask, you should not be sheepish in your response, but bold! If you are not walking what you are talking or being taught, that may be offsetting, but just repent for not letting your light shine, and begin to. Just like John did in the movie. It’s never too late to find out who you are and it’s never too late to start living like it! What will you say about yourself? Better yet, what do you say? Wonderful Jesus!

Note: I was just told about an amazing source that I thought you might like: Bible Project on YouTube. A talented artist draws a summary of the Word while sharing the summary. I’ve already viewed the two for Genesis! I wanted to sit and watch them all! But I decided to watch before I read the section to gain insight. Everyone should know about the Bible Project. Wonderful Jesus!

An Amazing Opportunity!

Genesis 5:21-24 -When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. ESV

I’ve set for myself a new challenge. I want to see how long it will take me to read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, no listening, just reading. On my last challenge I wanted to see how many times I could read the Bible in a year and I read it three times, about four months each time. So I started tonight in Genesis, because I’m on my “stay at home-cation” and as I was reading, something jumped out at me. So I am stopping to blog!

The Bible tells us that after Enoch fathered Methuselah, he walked with God. I took a look at my Logos commentary of Genesis and discovered that the phrase “walked with God” literally means, “pleased God”. This correlates with Hebrews 11:6 that tells us that Enoch pleased God, for 300 years! He had no Bible, no church, no pastor, and he wasn’t baptized with the Holy Spirit and yet for 300 years, he pleased God.

The time that God had with Enoch was so sweet, that He just took Enoch with Him. He was, and then he wasn’t! He was in a sense “raptured” or “caught away” to be with the Father! Now this isn’t news to me about Enoch walking with God and being taken by God and it probably isn’t news to you either. But let’s see what might be news.

First, God was so blessed by Enoch’s decision to walk with Him after having Methuselah, that Methuselah is recorded as the longest living individual in the word. When we were growing up we all knew who the oldest person in the world was because we would often say that someone was as old as Methuselah. We may not have known who either of them were, but we knew he was the oldest person to live!

Here’s another one I didn’t connect with. Enoch lived 365 years. We live 365 days in a year. Now, I found that to be interesting. One may have nothing to do with the other, but I think so. I think those 365 years of Enoch’s life blessed God so much that He made a memorial to him by making the year 365 days! Again, I can’t prove it, but it jumped out at me as I was reading.

I wish I knew what caused Enoch to be able to walk so steadfastly with the Lord for so long. There is no record. I have seen people struggle to walk with God for weeks, or months at a time, so this is monumental for someone without an example. Adam didn’t do it! But in the midst of the genealogies in Genesis, the writer stopped at Enoch and made note of his pleasing God. There are no miracles noted and nothing he accomplished in this life, but he got God’s attention and kept it! What could it have been?

When we read Hebrews 11, because it begins with the word “by faith” we automatically think that Enoch had great faith. I won’t even try and change our thinking on that. What I will say is this, I believe it was their relationship! It had to be! Enoch obviously decided after Methuselah was born that he was going to take every opportunity to get to know God. We see no evidence of Enoch moving mountains. We have no evidence that he saw, received, or did one miracle. (Although in 300 years there may have been plenty). But he walked with God in such a way that He was pleased and just took him to be with Him forever!

When I think of walking with God, I think of Him walking in the cool of day with Adam and Eve. Surely it was for fellowship. And when I think of the ultimate purpose of salvation, to restore our fellowship with the Father, I again think, Enoch understood true fellowship! When the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, the first thing God said was, “This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And Jesus hadn’t done a single thing at that point that is recorded in God’s word.

I think we spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to please God. We know that it pleases Him when we read the Bible, when we pray, when we obey Him, and even when we fellowship together. But I think that He is simply pleased by our continual fellowship. Today it is called, cultivating the Presence the Lord. Simply put, acknowledging His Presence throughout the day, every day. Talking to Him at every opportunity without having a need to bring to His attention, or even a desire. Just enjoying the reality of Him! Singing a song to Him, listening to what He has to share.

I’m going to spend more time just being with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I want to please Him. Not by my works, or how fast I can read through the Bible, but by my love for Him! What will you do with this “amazing” opportunity? Wonderful Jesus!

A Bold Witness!

John 9:32-33 – “Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” NKJV

If you read my previous blog, “A Bold Example”, you will remember that I wrote that this is one of my favorite accounts of Jesus performing a miracle in the Bible. I can really “see” what happened during this encounter and it gives me a greater picture of humanity’s response to Jesus.

The situation before the miracle: A man born blind is sitting near the temple, and according to later statements, we find out that he was begging. The passage continues by stating that the disciples asked Jesus who did sin? Can you imagine sitting near the church and the church people are coming out the door and they begin to ask the pastor what he thought about your life? That would be pretty embarrassing to be the one sitting there. After all, he was blind, not deaf! They had to be near the man because Jesus spat on the ground, made clay, and anointed the man eyes all without moving! Today, in a similar situation, the person would think the church people were so rude and feel justified in the fact that they don’t go to church!

But Jesus is a special kind of shepherd. He never gets involved in a situation with people that He doesn’t have a plan to impact their lives for the greater good! Where the disciples saw a person living out the consequences of sin, Jesus saw someone in whom God could reveal His works! Lord, help me to be just like You! I know I want to be!

This man is healed of whatever caused congenital blindness in his life. And even greater, he can see for the first time. Can you imagine his joy, his wonder at the world around him. He can now put color and images to the things he only knew by touch, sound, and smell! He is probably wide mouthed and big eyed at the bigness of what has happened to him, then he hear whispers around him, “Is not this he who sat blind and begged?” Then he heard someone else say, “He is like him.” He probably very reverently stated, “I am.”

Then they begin to question as to how his eyes were opened? “He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” How did the blind man know it was Jesus? Did the disciples use His name or was the man familiar with Jesus but had never encountered Him? Many are familiar with Jesus, but have never had their own personal encounter with Him! Somehow he knew Jesus was responsible for his having sight. When asked where Jesus was, he didn’t know. He was still marveling at the fact that he could see! And instead of a huge celebration of this wondrous work in their midst, the people take him to the Pharisees.

The Pharisees question him as to how he received his sight and he replied, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” The commentator that I used yesterday from Logos stated that here the man toned down his version of what happened because it was against the Law to knead on the sabbath (which is what Jesus did with the clay) or that he was sent to wash in the pool of Siloam (because it was a pool of ceremonial waters). It could be!

Some of the Pharisees begin to argue, “This Man is not from God because He does not keep the Sabbath.” I could bring up a whole lot of sacred cows we currently have in the church that if someone did or didn’t do we wouldn’t think they were “saved”. But others asked, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” These are not questions they put to the man born blind who was now healed, but they questioned amongst themselves. Finally they ask him, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He bears witness to the fact that Jesus is a prophet! Probably because in the Old Testament prophets like Elisha and Elijah performed great miracles for God.

In their attempt to discredit his witness of Jesus and to prove that this is not true, they call his parents. I could have a field day with his parents! Why is he begging when he has parents? I’m confused! His parents are afraid that they will be put out of fellowship so they are careful with their response. (What kind of nonsense is this? Who would rather have a blind son and be in a church, then have a son who could see and go worship somewhere else?) I’m just saying! They are asked if this is their son who was born blind and if so, how was he healed? Their response was that this was their son born blind, but they don’t know how he was healed. They told the Pharisees to ask him because he was old enough to speak for himself. (A Jewish boy becomes of age at 13, and we are told that he is a man. They knew he could speak for himself).

Here is where we see the boldness of his witness. He knows that to disagree with the Pharisees and to speak highly of Jesus will get him kicked out of synagogue; but this was probably no real threat to him, since he was probably not really allowed to go into the synagogue anyway. He tells the Pharisees, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see!”

They begin badgering him to see if his testimony will change. They ask again, what did He do to you, how were your eyes open? But instead of answering again he replies, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear again. Do you also want to become His disciples?” And the Pharisees attack him with their words. But he replies again when they say that they don’t know where Jesus came from, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you don not know where He is from, yet He has opened my eyes!…If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” At this point they cast him out of the synagogue reminding him that he was born in his sins and in no place to teach them! Well! He actually was, because experiencing Jesus is a much more powerful witness and lesson than a seminary degree!

I told you that this was a lot of information. I couldn’t share how his witness of Jesus was so powerful, without going into some details. As the religious leaders heaped insults and threats upon him, he didn’t cower down and change his testimony. He actually got bolder and begin to insult them by saying that he thought it was amazing that they didn’t know where Jesus came from or how He could perform a miracle! This part of his testimony is more powerful to me than the part we all know and say, “I once was blind, but now I see!” Although that is pretty impactful in its own right! This man was so affected by this miracle in his life that he refused to allow anyone to dishonor it or the one who performed it.

I’ve been too long, but I want to end with this thought, when did you last stand strong for the Lord in the presence of those who ridicule Him? When did you last set the record straight when someone tried to belittle Him or His impact in your life or the life of someone you know or love? When did you last rise up and just “BE” a witness to the reality of Him in your life? The environment in which we find ourselves today is the perfect time to be a bold witness for the Lord! Wonderful Jesus!

A Bold Example!

John 9:6-7 – “When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.” NKJV

Jesus is amazing! And when He was on the Earth, there was none who compared to Him! And that is even truer today, although He uses us to keep His kingdom running smoothly!This account of the healing of the blind man could very easily be my absolute favorite! One of the things I love about this miracle is that there was so much going on and John told us all about it!

For those of you who may not be as familiar with this miracle, I’ll give you a summary: Jesus was leaving the temple and as He did He passed a man who born blind. The disciples asked Jesus who sinned, the man or his parents? (The reason they asked Jesus this could be based on Exodus 15:26 where God promised that He wouldn’t allow sickness and disease to come upon them if they obeyed Him). I don’t know for sure, but it is pretty obvious that they felt the man was blind because someone sinned.

Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that neither one had sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. (Let me pause here and say that Jesus isn’t saying that this man was born blind so that God could get glory from His life! God is not the one who puts sickness and disease on people)! Many people wonder why sickness and disease is even in the world if it isn’t God’s will for His people, and that’s a good question. Just remember that sin entered the world through Adam’s treason and this world has not been redeemed! Sin is still in the earth and all of its consequences, humanity suffers as a result of sin and that’s why we need Jesus!

However, more likely than not the rendering of this verse is incorrect in the NKJV. In one of my Logos commentaries, this verse is rendered quite differently. Here’s what I discovered: First of all, the commentator wrote that the phrase, “this happened” was added into the text. He also explained that since the original text didn’t have punctuation, it could have been punctuated incorrectly. Then he wrote, “It is possible to punctuate this so as to provide the following translation: ‘Jesus replied, “Neither this man sinned nor his parents. But so that the works of God may be revealed in him it is necessary for us to work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no-one is able to work.” ’ Punctuated in this way, the text implies not that the man was born blind so that the works of God may be revealed in him, but that Jesus had to carry out the work of God while it was day so that God’s work might be revealed in the life of the man born blind.” Now that will preach!!! And it better fits with the character of Jesus!

Anyway, Jesus made clay with His saliva, anointed the man’s eyes with the clay and told him to go and wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam. (I wonder sometimes what would happen if we made clay for someone’s eyes what would be their response)? If you read my blog “A Special Occassion” you will remember that I mentioned obedience is a first step in getting a miracle. This man had to obey Jesus’ directive to not only go and wash, but to wash in the pool of Siloam. What if a person had a jug of water nearby and had offered it to him to keep him from having to stumble about looking for the pool? Would he have been healed? I don’t think so. Jesus didn’t say go and wash, He said go and wash in the pool of Siloam.

I believe we want to see miracles in our lives, but when we pray, and God gives us directions through His Spirit, we either change the directions or think the details are unimportant, That won’t produce a miracle. I had a friend who was attacked in her body and had gotten an evil report from the doctor. She was also losing her sight and was unable to drive anymore. The Lord told me to go over to her house, decree the healing scriptures over her and to then pray. I was really nervous about doing this because she had more years in the Lord then I did. But I obeyed God! And not long after, her health and her sight returned! He’s awesome like that!!

I’ve prayed for a lot of people over the years. Most of the time I am just obeying the word that states if we lay hands on the sick they shall recover, or the vision that as I lay my hands on people, God’s power will flow into them and they will be healed. But there are times, when God speaks to my spirit and give me instructions and I am absolutely sure a miracle will take place. That’s when I am bold for the Lord! But then there are times God speak to me, and I struggle with doing what He asks. I wonder if it’s just me or if it’s the devil trying to make me look like a fool. So I have not yet perfected obedience in this area!

If you want to see God move in your life or the life of someone else, you will have to be bold in the thing the Lord tell you to do! Faith is bold, faith is radical! And that kind of faith brings heaven to earth! Jesus was bold in everything He did! I want to be just like Him and do the things He did! But if I am going to follow Him in walking in the supernatural, then I understand that I am going to have to follow Him in being bold! Wonderful Jesus!

Be Very Sure!

2 Corinthians 5:1 – “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” NKJV

This morning I awoke to a song in my heart, and as I was singing it I felt an urgency in my spirit to reach out to people I know about their salvation; then I felt an urgency to blog. As I was thinking about what I could say in this blog, I thought that I would look up the history behind the hymn. There were several blogs from years ago with a similar theme that I am writing about. Don’t know if I can say this any better than it has already been said, but I will just obey the Lord!

In times like these, you need a Savior, in times like these, you need an anchor; be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

CHORUS: This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He’s the One. This Rock is Jesus, the only One. Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds, and grips the Solid Rock.

In times like these, you need the Bible, in times like these, O be not idle! Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock. (Chorus)

In times like these, I have a Savior, in times like these, I have an anchor; I’m very sure, I’m very sure, my anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock. (Chorus)

How appropriate are these words today! It is said that Ruth Caye Jones, the author of this song was a pastor’s wife, and they ministered in Pennsylvania. She wrote this during WWII. My family loves history and watching documentaries of the wars is a favorite past time of my husband and oldest daughter.

Recently, during dinner, they were watching a documentary of Normandy, and of course, I watched it too. I can still see the men rushing to the beach, knowing that they would probably die as the hundreds before them had died. But they just kept going and going until they breached the German defenses. I’m looking in the past, but I can well imagine the horror of the many Americans who lost loved ones during that invasion, during the entire war, knowing that this happened. Surely, they thought the end was near!

Mrs. Jones, it is said, was reading 2 Timothy 3:1, that states, “In the last days perilous times shall come,” when the words to this song came to her spirit. So she wrote them down and at the same time she got the melody. The rest as we say, is history! I learned this hymn in my denominational church and have loved it through the years; but it isn’t a song sung in my circles anymore. So when it came to me today with a sense of urgency, I just sat down to write what He gave me.

Almost a century later, these words ring true today! In times like these, when people are dying daily from COVID-19, and others are being hospitalized all around the world, we need a savior! Just this week, I heard a brother in the Lord died from the coronavirus. My heart is saddened with the news. Especially for the family and all this means to them. But I take great comfort in knowing that he left here assured of his eternity in the heavens, as his family does, and we’ll all see him again. I’m not trying to draw on your emotions, but this was so sudden as it is with so many people right now, and we can’t afford to just wake up and eat and drink and go to bed as if we aren’t in the middle of a worldwide crisis. Last week’s numbers for the virus in the US was around 6,000, but today, they are over 50,000 cases! That’s a serious jump!

The time is short! Jesus is coming back soon! And even if He tarries, in this environment, we must truly understand that we need a savior to navigate us through this time in our lives.

I urge you today, that if you are not sure, get sure! Your prayer doesn’t have to be long, just heartfelt. Tell the Father that you believe in Him and accept His method of salvation, through the Son who loved you and died for you. Tell Him you need Jesus as Savior and you need Him as Lord. Bow your heart and get real with God; then receive His grace as you become a new creation. Make a decision today! Not to escape hell’s fire, but to embrace a living, loving God! Then you will be able to say with Paul “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Wonderful Jesus!

A Canopy Of Glory- Revised!

Isaiah 4:5-6- “And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and rain.” KJV

I was thinking about my next post, when the Lord reminded me of this post from 2019. I went back and read it and was amazed at how it fit where we are today. So with a few revisions, I am reposting this blog today.

I was reading in the book of Isaiah, visiting a beloved friend, when I read this verse. Isaiah was one who understood God. He understood His majesty, His heart, His plans, His purpose, His words, His desire to know us, His desire to be known by us. He understood God. I have said before, “If you want to understand Jesus, read the gospel of John; but if you want to understand God, read the book of Isaiah.” Sometimes I just want to read about the One who is the Lord of Glory! And tonight I want to talk a little about that glory!

The word “canopy” can be defined as “a protective covering”, and for my blog tonight, it’s the meaning I want to use. Recently, I was teaching a literacy lesson using a text about the rainforest. In this text, it talked about how in a rainforest or even a jungle, the trees grow so close together that they create a canopy in its top branches. This canopy can be well over 100 feet from the ground. When you view this canopy from on top it looks like a large green field, but when viewed from underneath, it is where the plants and the animals live, the life of the rainforest.

In the above verse, Isaiah is talking to Jerusalem of a time when they will be in utter desperation because of the hard times that they will experience. Hard times brought on by their sins. But then he goes on to write that the time will come when God will bring a cleansing to His people. And when they are cleansed they will be His holy people.

Now before I go any further, let me remind you that if you have been washed by the Blood of Jesus and your sins have been forgiven that you are His holy people. Peter said it like this, “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” So now this prophetic word that Isaiah spoke to the people of Jerusalem becomes a prophetic word for the believer.

Isaiah prophesied, that once you were made holy, the land would produce for you it’s best. And if that is not enough, Isaiah prophesied that the Lord would place a canopy (a protective covering) of His glory over His people- a cloud by day and a fire by night! Now where have we seen this before? When the children of Israel left Egypt for the Promised Land!

So here we see the Lord of Glory again promising that His Glory would be before us protecting us as it did the children of Israel! This is awesome news! If we can get in position in the canopy of His Glory, it is where we will find the best of life.

Shocking news come across our ears daily and some unusual things have been happening in the world today because of the coronavirus, and if we are not careful, fear will grip our hearts. But the prophet Isaiah encourages us with these words that once again, His glory will go before us and be behind us, and He will place a canopy of protection over us! He promises to be our shelter, our protection from the storm and rain, and even from the heat. That promise includes protection from worldwide viruses!

As we are at home on lockdown, I find myself in my prayer time thanking God for this promise. As I worship Him I thank Him that I, my family, my friends, my church, the Body are all under His canopy of Glory and that protection is ours. This is wonderful news, from a wonderful Savior, for His people because although we are practicing social distancing, the real truth is that God is our Protector. This message was relevant when Isaiah spoke it and it is surely relevant now! Thank God for His canopy of glory that is over you and me during this unusual time in our world. Hearing of the deaths of so many is almost unreal, watching the numbers of cases around the world is mind boggling, but I just keep focusing on the One who has promised me protection, and I am thankful for His canopy of Glory that is full of life. Wonderful Jesus!