Reasons to Memorize Scripture and a Really Cool Tip!

Of all the spiritual disciplines, scripture memorization is my new favorite and I believe one of the most important overall.  It's the best way to fill our minds with what it needs.  It's often a discipline that is neglected because it seems so difficult.  I want to share with you 5 reasons I believe scripture memorization is important and then I want to share a really cool tip that is allowing me to finally memorize scripture easily and brings great joy! 

1)  Memorize scripture to be more like Christ.  When you meditate on His words, you will become more like Him.  You will know Him better and better as His word becomes a part of your very fiber.

2)  Inner Cleasing.  Memorizing scripture takes your yucky thoughts and replaces them with clean ones.  When we've memorized scripture, we can call it up when needed.

3) Daily triumph over sin.  We can use scripture as an armour and sword to fight the daily battle we have with sin.  It's one of God's most effective weapons for us. 

4) To comfort others and to spread the Gospel.  I have never known enough scripture to actually do this properly, but I do now!  When people come to us for help and encouragement, we don't always have a Bible handy.  I believe the word of God spoken from the heart has great power.

5)  To commune with God.  I know that when I pray from scripture, He speaks to me and I also speak to Him.  Sometimes we can't come up with the words we want to say, but we can pray scripture aloud and express our love for Him this way.  Sometimes my words feel so insuffient.  God's words are always sufficient. 

There are so many other reasons to memorize scripture.  And there are so many verses that stress it's importance.  Here's a personal favorite: 

 ^"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates,  so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth."  Deuteronomy 11: 18-21

Now, I want to share a tip to that will allow you to memorize scripture forever.  Apparently, music communicates with a different part of our brains than just words.  This is why scripture-songs you might have memorized as a child are probably still just as fresh now as then.  I discovered that youtube has scripture-memorization songs from Integrity Music available and they are fresh and catchy!  Here are a couple of my favorites.  Spend a few minutes and listen to them 3 or 4 times each.  Write the scripture down and carry it with you in your purse or car and sing them to yourself until they become second nature.  Be sure to memorize the location in the Bible that they came from.  Burn them onto a disc and listen in your car!  Or better yet, order the cds.  Then, the scripture will be in your heart and mind and you can call it up at any time.  Love, love, love these songs! 

Keeping a Religious Checklist

     I'm back and I'm still obsessed with grace.  Bear with me as I write about my favorite subject yet again. 

     The story of The Prodigal Son is such a good one.  I've been blessed so many times thinking of God's unconditional forgiveness and His love and grace towards his lost son.  The story is perfect in so many ways because it also tells us another story if we look at it from the perspective of the older brother.  The older brother is like me and so many others.  He is working hard trying to do all the things he's supposed to do.  I'm sure he had a list of chores a mile long and he was proud of all his hard work.  But more importantly, he thought that the better job he did of keeping his list, the prouder his father would be of him and the more he'd be loved.  And he was angry with his brother for not earning any of the gifts he received from his father.  But surely, he completely missed the obvious.  His father already loved him unconditionally and lavishly whether he did his chores or not. 

     If you think about it, if it's all about a to-do list, Jesus died for nothing.  He really only asks two things from us.  They are that we love Him and love others.  Jesus REALLY WILL take care of the other stuff.  That is called GRACE.  Even now, with all my head knowledge about grace, I easily revert to rule-keeping.  I think, "oh, God is so disappointed in me for not doing such and such."  and "If only I'd do more such and such, God will love me so much more."  God doesn't want us to live a life of guilt for all our shortcomings.  He wants us to stop trying harder.  We can't fix our own brokenness.  But we can rest in the finished work of Christ.

     Have you ever seen Christians striving to be perfect and they are simply miserable?   And another question just in case you think I'm endorsing "easy believism"...have you ever seen anyone who is truly trusting in Christ who lives a blatantly sinful lifestyle?  Probably not. 

     The truth is...we can't do anything for God.  He doesn't need our good works.  He is GOD.  Instead, He places Himself inside us and He will express Himself through us as we trust Him.  Naturally, good works will flow through us as we live a life dependent on Him. 

     How do you guard yourself against being influenced by man-made religion and rules?  Here are a few questions to ask yourself that I found in the NIV Life Application Study Bible: 

1) Does your religion stress man-made rules and taboos rather than God's grace?
2) Does it foster a critical spirit toward others, or does it exercise discipline discreetly and lovingly?
3) Does it stress formulas, secret knowledge, or special visions more than the Word of God?
4) Does it elevate self-righteousness, honoring those who keep the rules, rather than elevating Christ?

     We can never do enough to please Him and that's why He died for us.  His grace is sufficient. 

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Ephesians 2:8

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

Romans 10:4

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

It's Not You, It's HIM

No matter who you are, it seems that once we start to do good works for God, we begin to believe that God loves us more because of them.  If you are a Christian, have you ever felt like you had to read your Bible for a certain amount of time each day ...or if you haven't helped the homeless you somehow haven't measured up to God's standard?  Guess what?  We can never measure up to God's standard.  The root of all our behaviors is sin.  Sin is not just stealing, killing, adultery, etc... When we want to be noticed, valued, worshipped, comfortable, in control...that is sin.  Sin is our tendency to live with self as the center of our lives. We are all this way on a constant basis. As a preacher preaches, he can be self-absorbed and full of his own ego which is sin.  As I write this blog, it is rooted in the sin of pride.  So if we are Christians and can't stop sinning, do we just give up?  What good was our salvation anyway?

God wants us to realize the depth of our sin and our inability to ever be good enough.  It is when we start thinking that we are doing really well and have a handle on this sin thing that we are really in trouble.  Remember how Jesus felt about the Pharisees.   And then remember how Jesus felt about the woman of ill-repute who poured expensive perfume on His feet.  Until we really see the depths of our sin, we can never really understand God's grace.  We can plug away and be diligent in all our spiritual disciplines, but until we realize that it is only God who saves, we'll never experience the peace He freely gives. 

We are all broken and God wants us to stay that way.  That sounds weird, I know.  Let me explain that a little better.  Grace was never meant to be for admittance into heaven only.  If you are a Christian, we don't have to earn God's love.  We already have it.  We can't store up grace.  We have to realize the depths of our inability to take away our own sin and go back for our grace every day and every hour.  God's power is made perfect in our weakness.  When we believe we've got it licked, then we have a real problem.  Jesus said that the poor in spirit are blessed and they will inherit heaven.  This is not talking about people who boast of all good works or those who appear to have it all together.  It is talking about those who are aware that they are nothing without Him and are utterly dependent upon His grace. 

God, help us to realize that our performance will never earn your acceptance. We are all sinners. But
you love us with an everlasting, unconditional love and we must daily hide ourselves in your grace.  You alone are worthy.

Ephesians 2:8&9

For by grace are ye saved through faith;

and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Ridiculous Grace

So few Christians really understand grace.  We tend to have an impoverished view of grace.  How do we earn His grace?  How much grace can we accumulate?  Grace is the Heart of Christianity and the theme of the Bible.  When we begin to grasp even a bit of what grace is...it will transform us.

This article by Dr. Steve McVey is ridiculously good.  Let it's truth sink in for a minute.  Think of the Prodigal son who was filthy with sin.  His father didn't even notice or care as he embraced him and prepared a feast in his honor.  That's how our Father sees us when we are ready to accept His grace.  He doesn't see our nastiness.  He just sees that we want to come to Him and He pulls out all the stops to receive us.

~~~~

Ridiculous Grace 

by Steve McVey

The grace of God stands in a category all by itself. There’s nothing to compare with it because there’s nothing else like it in time or eternity. Grace is expression of the complete goodness of Pure Love toward those who have done nothing and never can do anything to deserve it or reciprocate for it. Either grace is a unilateral act or it’s not grace. The minute we think we owe anything for it, we have insulted both the gift and the giver. Those who spend their lives “trying to pay Him back for all He has done for me” will spend a lifetime unwittingly insulting the One they most want to please.

Religion is the greatest enemy of grace because it exists in a culture where the currency of survival is performance. Religion nurtures a detestable fetish in its carnal craving to “pay the price, breakthrough, storm the gates” and other such nonsense that excites the flesh in ways that arouse demonic lust that climaxes in the smug afterglow of a satisfied Pharisee.

Grace throws parties for returning prodigals without saying a word about their sins. Grace pays everybody the same regardless of what time of day they began to work. Grace restores dignity to whores that everybody else wants to stone. Grace hugs the diseased leper (or AIDS patient) that nobody else wants to touch. Grace looks past a person’s behavior and sees the person for who they are in the eyes of God.

Grace is irrational to the thinker. It is unfair to the judge. Grace is foolishness to the achiever. It is a waste to the selfish. Grace is a mistake to the disciplinarian. It is shame to the religionist.

But it is a stream of water to the thirsty. It’s freedom to the imprisoned. It is life to the dead. Grace is rest to the tired. It is another chance to the failed. It is hope to the despondent. It is a way out for the lost and a way in for those who can see the Door.

Grace. It’s not a theological premise. It’s not a doctrine. It’s not a philosophy. It’s not something to be balanced with anything else. It’s not even the most important thing. It’s The One Thing – The Only Thing. It’s a Person – a Person who has held you in His heart before the first molecule existed and One who will never let you go.

Still Amazing!

 

 

 In case anyone is still reading, I haven't lost my faith and I haven't given up blogging.  I'm just in a new phase of life, I guess.  I'm taking graduate classes to hopefully be the new high school librarian when our precious librarian retires. My current job is also at it's busiest at the beginning of the school year.  Add to that sending my oldest off to college for the first time and I guess you could say I'm mentally overloaded.  I'm not real good at stress, to be honest.  But I am so thankful that I've been able to give God my challenges and I'm so thrilled to know that He has it covered.  His grace is still amazing!

     I read the sweetest passage in a free kindle book called, "Look!  The Finished Work of Jesus" by Mick Mooney.  He said, "we can sometimes fool ourselves into believing Jesus expects so much from us, when He only asks us to do one thing-believe.  If you do the one thing right, Christ in you will do everything else right on your behalf.  You will be filled with the fruit of the Spirit, He will accomplish good works in you, and you will be able to give all the credit to Jesus."  That's is really, really good news.

     I don't ever get tired of hearing about grace.  My faith is founded in the cross and I don't have to spend my life finishing what He's already done.  He doesn't love me more when I do more good stuff for Him.  I don't owe Him anything because my debt is paid in full.  My good works are simply a response to the reality of my salvation.  That's grace.

     I have spent so much of my life trying to follow a written code and making my own way.  But guess what?  HE IS THE WAY!  I can't go wrong!  Hope that sounds like really good news to you too.


"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."  Romans 5: 1-2

   

   

Entertaining Angels

     I heard a gentle rapping on my back sun porch.  It was my next-door neighbor stopping by yet again to deliver another home-baked goody or something she "just didn't have room for anymore."  I can't remember what it was on this day...the kids were little and life was hectic.  What I do remember was her reply when she realized I felt grateful and yet beholden to her.  She told me that she had been blessed by the kindness of others when she was a young mother.  By helping me from time to time, she felt like she was repaying their kindnesses.  In my fragile, new walk with God, I recognized He was using my neighbor to be His hands and feet.  I saw a glimpse of Jesus.

     God has placed so many special people in my life...precious family members, close friends and bosom buddies.  There has been a particular angel in my life whose kindnesses could fill the pages of a book.  In fact, I wonder if I'd be a Christian today if God had not seen fit to place her in my path?

    I remember her attentiveness to my small children when I first began bringing them to church.  She encouraged me to trust in God and talked often to me about spiritual matters.  Once, when I was very sick, she came into my home with some ladies from my church and they visited and prayed for me.  I immediately felt that I was loved and a part of the Body of Christ.

    A prominent lady in town, Sally once gave me all her seldom-used Santa collection and lovely Christmas china-at least eight giant Rubbermaid boxes filled with goodies!  To this day, when we unwrap our Christmas decorations, we sense God's love and feel His angels all around us. 

     When my friend and I started a small fresh flower business, Sally was one of our best customers and blessedly talked us up to all her friends and acquaintances.  As a matter of fact, she even hired a decorator for us!  It wasn't long before our little business hit the ground running!

     I know I'm not the only one on the receiving end of her kindness...far from it!  She has a great burden for the lost and those in need and is responsible for starting our local soup kitchen which now feeds an average of 250 people a day, five days a week!  I recently had a chance to watch her in action.  She doesn't just cook and dish out food but listens to the people's problems and passes out encouragement.  Whether that person is reeking of body odor, mentally challenged or a crack -addict... her demeanor never changes.  She treats everyone as if they are the President of the United States.  The people come away from her feeling loved and accepted.  They've seen a glimpse of the Father's love in their beloved Mrs. Sally.  By the way, Sally doesn't like recognition and is in fact embarrassed by it.  She desires ALL the glory and honor go to God.

     God places these special people in our lives to encourage and guide us along.  He has also told us to be kind to strangers because you might be entertaining angels unaware.  Maybe you are a young, fragile Christian who needs to be discipled or maybe you have grown in your faith and need to begin discipling.  See the difference?  Either way, allow your heart to be open to those He's placed in your life. 

     To be ripe for discipleship, allow yourself to be teachable, available and seek to obey God.  If you find yourself on the other end of the spectrum, don't be dismayed if your gifts are not as big and obvious as others.  All our gifts are equally important and may only be noticed by the recipient.  And as a discipler, you don't have to be perfect.  But allow yourself to be increasingly dependent on God, be available to others and let the Holy Spirit work through you.  Also, be teachable and willing to grow from those you disciple.

     I thank God for the special angels He's placed in my path.  I pray that I can also be open to helping others even when I despair that my gifts don't seem as big as someone else's.  The main thing is to go where He leads us and to love God and love others as ourselves.  May we all encourage and challenge each other towards maturity in Christ.




Titus 2:3-5 says, "Similarly, teach the younger women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God."

Also remember..."I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.  Then the sheep are going to say, "Master, what are you talking about?  When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink?  And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?'  Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth:  Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was Me-you did it to Me.' "  Matthew 25: 35-40

Jump to the Moon?

     I know a lot of "good people".  They are nice, help others in need, volunteer, give to charities, etc...How many times have you been to a funeral and heard all about the good works of the deceased person?  Nothing wrong with that.  Just sayin'.  And how often do we compare ourselves to other people?  We may make some mistakes, but at least we're not anywhere as bad as "so and so". Guess what?  It really doesn't matter if we are less sinful than the next person,  if we pray splendid prayers or donate tons of money to the poor.  None of that stuff will get us into heaven. 

     I read a great analogy the other day.  Imagine for a moment if God commanded us to jump to the moon.  Tall people or athletic people might be able to jump higher than me.  I might be able to jump higher than a baby or a person in a wheel-chair.  But not one of us will be able to jump to the moon.  It's impossible.  In other words, it doesn't matter how hard we try...no one can be perfect enough to enter heaven on their own.  We were born with a massive defect that makes it impossible to be perfect enough to please God.  It takes divine intervention.

     The author also used another great analogy.  What if you ran up a large debt on your credit card?  Instead of paying your debt, what if you constantly called the credit card company and offered food baskets or baked goods?  They would never accept it as payment.  It must be paid on their terms...cash!  Many sincere people try to pay their sin debt their way instead of God's.  Remember the story of Cain and Abel?  Cain knew what God required as payment for his sin, but he decided to do it his way anyway.  It wouldn't have mattered if Cain had given God all the crops in the entire world.  That's not what God wanted from Him.  He wanted a blood sacrifice. 

     As we know...God sent His son as a living, perfect sacrifice.  The only solution to our dilemna was for God to take the form of a man, come to earth, live a sinless life and die for us.  Receiving His gift of salvation has nothing to do with "doing".  It's already "done".  The gift of eternal life is completely free and can't be earned.  In fact, a gift is something we either accept or don't accept.  It's ours to decide.  He tells us that if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.  It must be a heart belief (actually trusting in that knowledge) and not just a head belief. 

     Do you believe that NOTHING else can save us?  A lot of good people out there do not have a saving faith in Jesus.  The Bible tells us this is the only way.  Give up trying to be perfect enough to please God.  You can't do it.  But God will wipe your record clean and He will no longer see your sin if you accept what He has done for you.   The blood of Jesus will cover our sins and we will be perfect and righteous in His sight.  Good works will follow, but they don't save us.  We never need to fear death...not because we earned it but because we accept His gift.  Let Him transform your life.  I never tire of hearing about His grace.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
    and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
    for those who love him.”  ^{1 1 Corinthians 2:9}

God is Not a Vending Machine

May was an exceptionally busy month for me and I apologize for my lack of posts.  Even now, I have so many thoughts I want to share, I don't really know where to begin without sounding random.  Last week, God spoke ALOUD to me.  No joke.  I'm still astounded and I'm still unsure of what He wants me to do with that.  I know there is a purpose. 

Right now, I'm anxious to tell you about a relationship He wants with you.  On facebook and tv, I see a faulty picture of God.  He blesses us because we are good.  If we live right, we deserve favor.  We want Him to be close enough to us to help us and keep us out of hell, but we don't want to give up our control and independence.  He's like a genie who grants wishes and when it doesn't work out like that and bad stuff happens...we dismiss Him and set Him aside.  He's probably not real anyway, we think.  Guess what...God is not a vending machine!

Can I encourage you to open the door to Him?  Have you heard Him knock and do you consider yourself a Christian but have never really invited Him completely through the door?  If you have felt a pull towards God but have pushed it aside, I'd like to suggest that you pray and read about Him in the Bible.  That is called "worship" and He desires it. He promises to show Himself to us.  Let your heart be softened.  The more we respond to Him, the more we will hear from Him.  I'm not talking about just answered prayer.  I'm talking about a relationship.

Imagine this...God becomes so central to your life that you can't wait to get to your Bible to learn more about what He's like.  You can't wait to talk to Him because you love His presence more than life.  The things of this earth look more and more dim as you anticipate being in His light one day.  If you give it all up to Him, it can be painful and even bloody.  He's even told us...the world will hate us because it hated Him first.  But He wants all of us and nothing less.  We must decide which we love more.  Him or our sin. 

^" Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."  Revelation 2:20

 

Hope I wasn't too random and weird with this post and I hope it makes sense to you.  If you want to dismiss all I've said and just take the Bible verse, that will be enough.  It's a good one.

 

 

Girl Talk

    

     I hope I am not breaking a copyright rule or something by sharing someone elses great devotional.  I subscribe to several devotionals, but this one today could have been written by me.  I have often struggled with female relationships and found guys so much simpler to be around.  I have also found myself in destructive relationships that made it impossible for me to be Christ-like.   I have been amazed how God is working in my old relationships and also in new ones.   If you can relate, you'll love today's blog post...

May 4, 2012 Women: Friends or Foes? By Rachel Olsen

" ... a sweet friendship refreshes the soul." Proverbs 27:9b (MSG)

Years ago I would've told you that I don't much like women. I counted a few as friends, but the rest I dismissed as too much trouble. Never a "tomboy" by any stretch of the imagination, I just found guys easier to deal with. They generally say what they mean, let you know where you stand, and never size you up to determine who has the better haircut.

I didn't want to distrust women, but the majority of females in my life at the time evoked that response. They were catty, competitive and conniving. They gossiped, backstabbed and manipulated. I have to admit that I often responded in kind. Isn't it strange how addictive relational drama can be?

I'm told you can put a frog in a pot of cold water on the stove and gradually turn up the heat, and it will stay in the pot until it reaches a fatal boil without attempting to escape. Evidently the frog doesn't realize how unhealthy the situation is slowly becoming. I can't vouch for the accuracy of that fable - I'd never boil a frog! - but I've been in a few friendships like that. I stayed way too long in the pot before I realized this isn't healthy for me, and I got burned.

So what lead me to flip-flop my position on having girlfriends? First, I decided to become friends with God. This sparked beneficial changes in my mind and spirit. Where I had been cynical and guarded, God's love penetrated and softened my heart. I learned the meaning of Proverbs 18:24, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (NIV 1984). Christ was now my forever friend who could be trusted completely.

I also made changes in my choice of girlfriends. Through the Holy Spirit and lessons on character in the book of Proverbs, I learned to recognize which people and relational patterns were unhealthy for me.

I was ready to be rid of the drama! The Bible teaches, "He who walks with the wise grows wise" (Proverbs 13:20a NIV). I wanted to walk with wise women through life. Many of my current-at-the-time friendships ran their natural course and dissolved. A few transformed along with me.

But there were a few I deliberately phased out because my own character wasn't strong enough yet to remain Christ-like in their company.

Meanwhile, I prayed for quality friendships with women of faith. God heard my prayers. Fun-loving, God-loving, gracious women at my church sought me out and invited me out. And I made the choice to trust and invest in them. I discovered how beneficial it is to surround yourself with women who inspire your walk with God.

Over time, God birthed in me a huge love and great compassion for women. I began seeing them through His eyes and not just the lens of my own hurtful past. I realized that not all women are like those I had known. I also learned to forgive and pray for those who've hurt me. Today I cherish my friendships with the women in my life.

Dear Lord, I want to have good friends, and to be a good friend. Help me to develop godly friendships that honor and draw others to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Reflect and Respond:
Study the book of Proverbs and learn the traits of trustworthy character so you can develop them yourself and recognize them in others.

Is there someone you can befriend? Striking up a friendship can be a great way to introduce a gal to Christ.

Do you find yourself entangled in an unhealthy relationship? Are you in emotional hiding after being burned? Take that to God and ask Him to heal and bring restoration to your heart. Ask Him to send godly, wise women into your life. Then muster up the courage to respond and befriend them.

Power Verses:
James 2:23, "And the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God's friend." (NIV)

Proverbs 22:11, "If you love purity of heart and graciousness of speech, the king will be your friend." (GNT)

Changes They Are A' Comin

     Last year, I became convicted of a particular sin in my life.  I say this not to go into depth dissecting my sin, but to speak of the process of sanctification in the life of a Christ-follower.  Sanctification is a fancy word (and also a Biblical word) for a progressive process in a Christian's life.  Jesus continually sanctifies His children and transforms them into His image by the power of the Holy Spirit.  It doesn't mean we stop sinning.  That's impossible.  But as we are sanctified, our old ways become uncomfortable and feel wrong to us because we are drawing closer to God.  And then we ask forgiveness for that sin that feels wrong and leave it behind.

     I'll use my sin as an example.  Socializing with other parents and friends, I found great pleasure in discussing the faults and mistakes of our precious children.  It would somehow make me feel better about myself to talk bad about a child who was having sex or caught up in drugs or just too big for their britches. I'd justify my behavior by thinking things like, "if they are going to do stuff that bad, they can expect to be talked about."  I'd sometimes completely give up on that child and deem him or her worthless and bad.  Wow!  What a rotten person I was!  Can't believe I'm admitting this.

     When God is in the process of transforming/sanctifying us...the process can be painful indeed.  In fact, I have dealt with depression, anger, lonliness and deep sadness during this time of change.  He knocked down my pride in one fell swoop. God has put me in situations that have left me with no way of fixing them except to look to Him.  Was I that hard-headed and stuck in my sin?  Apparently so.  I have had to make life changes.  I can no longer be close and cozy with certain people who are still stuck in this lifestyle.  I have to keep a loving distance. 

     This process can apply to all sin and is personal to the individual.  Even though we would like to categorize sin and believe ours is not as bad as other people's sin, that is not the truth.  Sin is sin and all sin is equal in God's eyes.  For example, I believe that adultery and homosexuality are wrong.  The Bible tells us that it is.  But someone who is caught up in that sin must go through their own process of sanctification if they are truly following Christ.  An adulterer who has begun trusting in God may continue having an affair.  But God will surely work in that person's life to change and mold them.  In God's time, not ours...they will know that adultery and the Christian life are not compatible.  They will begin to view the world and their personal difficulties from a Biblical perspective.  Our job is to love them as God takes care of the details. 

   When we are saved, we are justified.  Sanctification occurs as a result of salvation.  Once saved, we are no longer held hostage by death but are sanctified simply because of His wonderful grace.  Does this make sense?  Hope so.  I know that I will forever be in the process of becoming more like Him.  What other yucky thing will I need to get rid of next?  The refining process might not be pretty but the rewards are out of this world. 

Losing My Religion

    

I haven't posted much lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't had things on my mind.  In fact, I've had something really big on my mind.  I've been thinking an awful lot about Jesus.  I'm as sick of religion as the next person.  In fact, even non-denominational Christianity is sometimes too religious for me.  It's so easy to go down that "I'm right, you're wrong" road with people.  And have you ever been in a church where you feel the people wouldn't know Jesus if He came and sat down right beside them?  On the other extreme, I hate it when a religion within Christianity is exclusive and has a private message that only a few privileged people can understand.  I'm as guilty as anyone of being judgemental of those who don't think like me. 

     But I challenge anyone to read the gospels and get up close and personal with Jesus.  He's amazing.  If you think you know all you need to know about Him, read about Him again.  You'll find He said and did things you didn't think He said and did.  You'll find Him perfectly loving, perfectly forgiving and full of grace and truth.  His life on earth was completely miraculous in every way.  The Old Testament is about Him.   The New Testament is about Him.  He is the Word.   People can find fault with religion and Christianity all day long.  But Jesus was and is PERFECT.  Even the greatest skeptic can only look at His life and be amazed.  No other prophet or so-called god can hold a candle to Jesus. 

     Religion can be good for our lives but it can't save someone.  Jesus didn't come to start a new religion.  He came to provide a model for how to live and a way to God.  He is it.  He is the way.  Think Jesus didn't want to be around sinners?  Seemed He preferred them to the religious people of His day.  Bet He still does. The worse they were, the more He liked them.  He loved them with great mercy and led them to a new way of life.  He doesn't have to be defended.  He is our friend and savior.  We don't even have to explain Him.  We can be like the blind man who was healed by Jesus in the Bible.  He said, "There is Jesus.  All I know is that He touched me, and where I was once blind, now I see." 

     Why don't we just get to know Jesus?  Really get to know Him by reading about His life and praying to Him often.  And then let's see what happens.  I think you're gonna love Him too.  He might even change your life.

    

  

It's Friday, But Sunday's Coming

Mean People

      Seems I encounter more than my fair share of mean people in my daily life.  What's the deal with that?  For the life of me, I just can't get into the mind of mean people.  I can be walking around minding my own business and someone will walk in and say something cutting and rude.  This has been one of those weeks  It sometimes feels like I have a target on my back. I've never understood why people wouldn't want to be kind to those around them.

     But mean people are here to stay.  And God created them and loves them just as much as He loves you and me.  And I'm supposed to love them too.  What needs to change is my reaction to those mean people.  What's a Christian response to meanness?  I know the first thoughts I have when I am deeply offended are often not Christian at all.  In fact, this week I thought of all the smart comebacks I could have said.  I even thought about egging a couple of cars and maybe toilet-papering a yard or two.  Yep.  I did.  But the old me is gone.  It doesn't take long for me to call on God and ask for His help.  I ultimately want to do it His way.

     We know that Jesus experienced meanness in the worst of all ways.  He was mocked, scorned and belittled.  People didn't like Him and didn't understand Him.  But I've found that Jesus, of course, reacted perfectly to the meanness around Him.  He reacted with grace and truth.  He didn't hold back from telling His enemies the truth...ever.  If people absolutely refused to listen, Jesus actually moved on.  He had little patience for continued meanness and knew the foolishness in their hearts.  Some people will hear the truth, others will never hear it.  We sometimes value our security and peace so much that we become enslaved to other people's meanness.  But oftentimes, the people need to understand how their bad behavior is negatively impacting those around them and themselves also.

     We shouldn't withhold the truth just as we should also sprinkle the truth liberally with grace.  The Bible tells us not to tell the truth to others in order to make ourselves look right and the other person look wrong.  Speaking the truth with grace means that we are intent on building up and helping the other person.  We also must have a forgiving spirit and use kindness.  The ability to use truth and grace together takes tremendous inner character and strength.  And I'm not there yet.  But I will get there with His help.  "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8  

Is Christ Really the Only Way to God?

Today's post is taken from a favorite website.  I feel like there are many friends and readers struggling with these doubts. If we really want answers to our doubts, I believe He will give us all the answers we seek if we only ask Him.    Read this wonderful answer to a common question and pray for wisdom and understanding.

Is Christ Really the Only Way?

By Karina (Alcorn) Franklin

A question from a college student, answered by Randy's daughter, Karina, when she also was in college.

---

I am a senior studying electrical engineering at a California university. I was raised by a Christian family and attended a Christian school up until college.
     Maybe it was my exposure to secular education that first caused me to question the fundamentals of my beliefs, though I would like to say it was the rational part of me that naturally led me to question. I don’t like to use the word brainwashed, but I realize it was a one-sided story that was told to me from birth. In other words, as I suppose many fundamentally Christian families raise their children, I was not exposed to other world religions.
     At the suggestion of my mother, I’ve been reading Deadline. It would be an understatement to simply say she liked it. In fact, she alone might account for a percentage of the copies sold. I know she bought many copies for her friends as well. 
     Under the assumption that you are a Christian, your portrayal of heaven is consistent with theistic beliefs and opinions, as is evident in Deadline. My question is, how can you be certain that the Christian God is the correct choice? In other words, the Hindu or Muslim believer would not agree with your portrayal of God or heaven. Neither would the Buddhist, the Taoist, or the other thousand religions encompassed in the world.
     Had I been born and raised in India a hundred years ago and stumbled across Deadline then, needless to say I would not believe a word of it. I mean, it seems all too obvious I could have been a Buddhist just as easily as I could have been Christian were I born in China. As you know, this is not a new philosophical question, but it is not one that I believe has been reasonably answered.
     I’m not asking you to sell me on Christianity. I believe it myself. I would just like you to give me your opinion or maybe even some insight on this issue. I question this issue because it has some startling implications into Christian evangelism. For example, is it right for the Christian to preach the Word of God, not knowing themselves if their God is THE God?
     Furthermore, should Christians not acknowledge to the “unpeople” (www.epm.org) the possibility of other religions, allowing each individual to independently choose from the entire spectrum of religions? To be honest, I think this is how it should be done regardless of my monotheistic view of God. Shouldn’t everyone be at liberty to choose with the benefit of knowing the entire picture, not a biased and one-sided picture?
     I could explore a thousand tangents to this subject, but I realize you must be very busy. If you would respond to any of this at all, I would be very appreciative and grateful. Thank you very much for your time.

---

Randy asked me to write out a few of my thoughts for you. I’m Randy’s daughter, Karina, and I’m a junior at The Master’s College in Valencia, CA. Like you, I was raised in a Christian home and attended a Christian grade school and middle school, but I went to a public high school.
In the last year, I’ve had the privilege of living and studying in China for three weeks, Israel for 3 1/2 months, and Turkey for two weeks. Needless to say, I gained some first-hand exposure to both eastern religions (Buddhism in China) and the monotheistic traditions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam in Israel and Turkey.) I’ve also taken a World Religions class at school where we focused primarily on the eastern schools of Hinduism. There sure are a lot of different approaches to religion out there! Along with you, I sometimes find myself thinking: “I could have been a Buddhist just as easily as I could have been Christian were I born in China.” And that’s when I have to take a long, hard look at my Christianity.
If I’m a Christian just because my parents and grandparents were Christians, then it’s meaningless to me. It’s nothing more than an outward cultural expression. Most of my friends that I met in China were atheists. If they were going to claim a religion, they would say they were Buddhists because it was part of their culture, but they didn’t really believe in Buddhism. They saw it as a superstition. Islam is also very cultural in Turkey. One of my friends there told me that she was Turkish/Muslim and I was American/Christian. She didn’t believe me when I told her that I know Americans who are Muslim and Turks who are Christians. To her, it was just part of her culture.
I don’t know about you, but I sure don’t want to base my eternal well-being on a cultural expression of religion! If it’s okay for Turks to be Muslim and Chinese to be Buddhist and Europeans to be Christians and we all end up in the same place, then what’s the point? Why even bother with religion?
But, I’ve also learned that Christianity is a whole lot more than a cultural phenomenon. After all, the first Christians weren’t Europeans, they were Jews. There was a thriving Christian community in Africa centuries before Europe was ever “civilized.” I’ve had the privilege of seeing believers in Jesus all over the world, in totally different cultures, worshipping the same God. The Lord promised Abraham that through his seed, all the nations of the world would be blessed! And He kept that promise by sending Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to die for the sins of the world. (Not to found a sectarian religion for western culture.)
It’s arrogant for me to say that I have the only way to God, right? Sure is, if I’m the one who came up with the idea. But if God says there’s only one way to eternal life, then I had better listen. And I had better tell others, too. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). That seems like a narrow-minded version of the truth. But when you think about it, God is a whole lot smarter than you or I. Just because we don’t understand His way of doing things, doesn’t mean that God made a mistake. “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:9).
There is no way that we could understand God’s ways unless He chose to reveal them to us. And He did, in the Bible. Throughout the course of human history, God has intervened. He has gradually revealed His plan of salvation down through the centuries. This unfolding drama of redemption is meant to bring Him glory; after all, He is the Creator, and we are the creatures.
I would encourage you to go back and read the gospel of John. Read about Jesus Christ and who He is. Read about the way He broke down cultural and religious barriers. You have spent a lot of time studying for a career, but how much time have you spent studying God’s Word? If the God of the Universe took the time to stoop to our level and express Himself in a way we can understand, we should be diligent to read and study that Word.
Being a Christian is not about a cultural or a family tradition. It’s a decision each person has to make for him or herself. Have you ever submitted your life to the will of God? Have you given Jesus Christ control of every aspect of your life? Are you living to please Him or to please yourself? I know these questions may seem harsh, but they come from a sincere heart. If Christianity is true, then we should be diligent to spread the news of Jesus Christ to all the world. But if it is not the only way to God, then we should reject it entirely because that is what it claims to be.
Jesus doesn’t allow us to dismiss Him as just one more religious leader. He forces us to make the choice of either rejecting Him and His message altogether, or embracing Him fully. There is no middle ground.
One of your main questions was about Christian evangelism. It’s impossible to separate true Christianity from spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. After all, it’s commanded in the Great Commission. We are to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them everything Jesus commanded us. In 1 Peter, we are called “aliens and strangers.” This world is not our home. Once you and I committed our lives to God and accepted Jesus’ atoning death on our behalf, we were transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. Now we have the responsibility and the honor of showing our fellow human beings the one true way of salvation.
It would be arrogant of us to go overseas and try to change a whole culture to make it fit with western Christianity in the name of “evangelism.” But it would be cruel and wrong of us not to share the truth of the gospel for fear that we offend others by demeaning their local religion. You’re right in saying before we share the gospel with people we had better be sure we’re not giving a biased, one-sided picture. If we’re not certain of the truth of the gospel, we have no business trying to share it with other people.
I have seen the transforming power of God in my own life and in the lives of my friends and family. I have seen that being a follower of Jesus Christ is not about following a cultural religion. In fact, at times it’s quite counter-cultural. I’ve seen that the family of God can and does include people from every tribe, tongue and nation. I have a lot more in common with a tribal woman in Africa who has accepted the free gift of salvation than I do with my religious neighbor who is trying to earn her way to heaven.
I hope this sheds some light on the things you’ve been considering lately.
Karina (Alcorn) Franklin

You Are Invited!

      While reading through various books of the Bible, I sometimes feel like I just have to go back to the gospels and hear exactly what Jesus said.  I know that all the books of the Bible are God-breathed.  But sometimes I get excited knowing I can read  Jesus' actual spoken words anytime I want.

     Surprisingly, His words don't always say just what we think  They sometimes sound harsh to us until we realize He spoke the truth in love.  In fact, His words sometimes hurt, sting and hit all to close to home.

     One thing I noticed today in my reading is how often Jesus spoke to us in parables to get us to understand that all the people who think they are Christians are not.  Consider the parable in Matthew about the wedding banquet.  Jesus tells us that God's kingdom is like a king who threw a wedding banquet for his son.  Everything was perfect and the meal was ready.  He sent his messengers out to tell the guests to come to the feast!  Some were too busy, some didn't care and some even beat up the messengers and killed them.  He ended up inviting everyone on the streets!  When they came in, some weren't fit for the kingdom and were thrown out. Jesus says, "that's what I mean when I say, "many get invited; only a few make it.'"

     Think about that parable.  God has promised us an eternal banquet.  He's given us free admission if we choose to follow Him, by His amazing grace.  But most of us don't even care enough to get ready for the feast. It's a lot of trouble and might make us miss out on some earthly pleasure.

     It's been 2000 years ago, but people haven't changed much.  Jesus said it best, "I've had it with you!  You're hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees!  Frauds!  Your lives are roadblocks to God's kingdom.  You refuse to enter, and won't let anyone else in either."  Here in America, many of us have the idea that all of us will go to heaven except the really, really bad people.  This is not the message of the Bible.  Jesus is clear that few will enter His kingdom even though He extends the invitation to everyone.

     I pray that we all can listen and obey Jesus' words.  He wants us to join Him in paradise and feast with Him eternally.  Are we ashamed of Him?  Are we too busy to care?  Are we dressed like Pharisees?

Are You Afraid to Die?

 Are you afraid to die?  If you are truly believing and trusting in Jesus Christ, you don't need to be afraid.  While other religions stress the works to be done, Christianity says "it is finished".  This doesn't mean we can live like the devil and go to heaven anyway when we die.  If we are living comfortably in blatant sin...guess what?  We aren't Christians.  If you love your sin and don't want to let it go, Christ is not in you.  The end.

     Jesus told the adultress that she was forgiven when she believed and placed her faith in Him,  but to go and sin no more.  As Christians, we will falter, stumble and sin.  But sinning won't feel comfortable any longer.  We will quickly turn from our sins out of thankfulness for His gift and love for our Savior.  We are new creations. 

     God does not intend for Christians to doubt their salvation.  And the Bible really does tell us plainly and God doesn't want us to speculate.  God desires us to know where we are headed. Today, I can honestly say, "death, where is your victory?  Grave, where is your sting?"    Read these verses and let it sink in...

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may KNOW you have eternal life."  1 John 5:13

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. " Romans 10:9

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should NOT perish, but have EVERLASTING LIFE." John 3:16

I borrowed today's blog post from a well-known pastor and writer.  I never want to grow weary of sharing the greatest of all messages.  This is the answer to all our questions.  This is the key to eternal life and peace on earth.  Take your mustard-seed of faith and grab hold of the gospel.  We are strengthened by it every day.

The Gospel in 6 Minutes

by: John Piper

What's the Gospel?

What’s the gospel? I’ll put it in a sentence.
The Gospel is the news that Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, died for our sins and rose again, eternally triumphant over all his enemies, so that there is now no condemnation for those who believe, but only everlasting joy.
That’s the gospel.

You Can't Outgrow the Gospel

You never, never, never outgrow your need for it. Don’t ever think of the gospel as, “That’s the way you get saved, and then you get strong by leaving it and doing something else.”
No! We are strengthened by God through the gospel every day, till the day we drop.
You never outgrow the need to preach to yourself the gospel.

How the Gospel Strengthens

Here’s an illustration, and I use it not because it’s any big deal to speak from my life, but because it’s what I walked through and where I most pointedly in the last year experienced the power of the gospel to make me strong. (Many of you are walking through things much heavier than prostate cancer—much heavier.)
Do you remember the verses that I shared with you back in February that were almighty for me? It was that moment right after the doctor says, “I think we need to do a biopsy,” when this stab of fear comes. It didn’t last long, mercifully.
And then came—what? 1Thessalonians 5:9-10. It’s just as pure gospel as you can get.

God has not destined you for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,who died for you so that whether you wake or sleep you will live with him.

Settled. Peace like a river.

The Gospel Is Perfect for Your Needs

That’s just gospel—perfectly timed, perfectly applied, perfectly suited to my need. That’s why the Bible is so thick—because there are so many different needs that you have. And there are suitable places where the gospel is unfolded for you, so that if you immerse yourself in the whole book, always with an eye for what Christ has wrought for you and purchased for you in this thick, glorious history of God’s interaction with people, he will give you what you need.
Therefore, everything in me says, and I hope to say until the day I die, “Now, to him who is able to strengthen me, according to Paul’s gospel, to him—to that God—be glory forever and ever.”
God came into history in Jesus Christ; he died in order to destroy the power of hell and death and Satan and sin; and he did it through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A Plea to Believe

I know that there are people reading this who are not trusting Jesus Christ, and therefore can only expect condemnation. So I’m just going to plead with you here at the end, lay down that rebellion. Lay it down. And simply embrace the gospel that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Righteous One, died for your sins. He was raised on the third day, triumphant over all his enemies. He reigns until he puts all of his enemies under his feet. Forgiveness of sins and a right standing with God comes freely through him alone, by faith alone.
I plead with you, don’t try to be strong in your own strength; it will not be there when you need it. Only one strength will be there—the strength that God gives according to the gospel.
Don’t put it off.

Freedom from Mothering Fears...Ongoing

     I once fancied myself the best mother ever to my young children.  I was the mom who created the happiest birthday parties, cool educational outings and the home where all the kiddos in the neighborhood were welcomed with open arms.  I was blessed to stay home with them and give them cuddles, kisses and yummy home-cooked meals.  This created happy children and a contented mom.  It seemed mothering was my purpose...more important than God to me if I'm being honest with myself.

     Fast forward ten years.  I now have teens.  One is a strong-willed 18 year old.  Although I still strive to be the very best and do everything right, I'm continually defeated and come up short.  Why don't they believe all the things I taught them?  Why do they make choices that leave me in a tailspin of insecurity and depression?  Some days I want to throw in the towel and head to a faraway land.  I certainly don't want to talk to those moms of perfect teens who inevitably assume my bad parenting is to blame for my children's choices.

     But in the midst of the turmoil, something beautiful and exciting has happened.  I've begun to commune with God.  I'm learning what it's like to trust in God and not in my own understanding.  And yet, as I give up my struggles to Him, I begin to believe He won't fix it they way I want and I take all that fear back again and wrap it around me like a security blanket.  But like a slow-learner, I again realize I can't do it by myself.  Only He can.  I give it back to Him again.

     I'm coming to realize bad things might happen.  My children may know hurt and hardship for a very long time.  But I also know that He is listening to my near-constant prayers and I can trust Him because His answers are perfect.  I must also trust in His perfect timing. 

    I believe we are driven into corners to realize how necessary God is.  We suffer in all kinds of ways and God will use the suffering to bring us to Him.  Prayer is my new way of life.  And the Bible has become my sword as I bring up it's promises over and over in time of need.  Through my mothering struggles, God has become my only hope.  I've fallen in love with Him in a way that wouldn't have become possible if all had remained perfect. 

     Do you have struggles and fears?  He's calling out to you to put it all on Him.  He can handle it.  Nothing is hopeless because Jesus lives.  He wants your total dependence.  I can no longer function any other way.

     "Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:6-7

Day 21/All Done

I'm saying  "all done" for two reasons.  #1 We've completed reading the book of John.  #2  Christ's work on the cross is complete.  He came and lived among us, taught and loved us, lived a sinless life and then sacrificed Himself on the cross.  But then, He defeated the grave and rose again!  He was the Perfect Lamb who sacrificed Himself so we could have eternal life. 

This final chapter in John is extremely rich in symbolism and doctrine.  It is a chapter of critical importance to the Christian who seeks to serve Jesus Christ.  Listen closely as Jesus teaches His disciples through divine symbolism what He wants them to do when He leaves them.   Hope you've enjoyed this journey. 

Day 21

John 21

Fishing

 ^1-3After this, Jesus appeared again to the disciples, this time at the Tiberias Sea (the Sea of Galilee). This is how he did it: Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed "Twin"), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the brothers Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. Simon Peter announced, "I'm going fishing."  ^3-4The rest of them replied, "We're going with you." They went out and got in the boat. They caught nothing that night. When the sun came up, Jesus was standing on the beach, but they didn't recognize him.
 ⁵Jesus spoke to them: "Good morning! Did you catch anything for breakfast?"
   They answered, "No."
 ⁶He said, "Throw the net off the right side of the boat and see what happens."
   They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish in it, they weren't strong enough to pull it in.
 ^7-9Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, "It's the Master!"
   When Simon Peter realized that it was the Master, he threw on some clothes, for he was stripped for work, and dove into the sea. The other disciples came in by boat for they weren't far from land, a hundred yards or so, pulling along the net full of fish. When they got out of the boat, they saw a fire laid, with fish and bread cooking on it.
 ^10-11Jesus said, "Bring some of the fish you've just caught." Simon Peter joined them and pulled the net to shore—153 big fish! And even with all those fish, the net didn't rip.
 ¹²Jesus said, "Breakfast is ready." Not one of the disciples dared ask, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Master.
 ^13-14Jesus then took the bread and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus had shown himself alive to the disciples since being raised from the dead.

Do You Love Me?

 ¹⁵After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"    "Yes, Master, you know I love you."
   Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
 ¹⁶He then asked a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
   "Yes, Master, you know I love you."
   Jesus said, "Shepherd my sheep."
 ^17-19Then he said it a third time: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
   Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, "Do you love me?" so he answered, "Master, you know everything there is to know. You've got to know that I love you."
   Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I'm telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you'll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don't want to go." He said this to hint at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And then he commanded, "Follow me."
 ^20-21Turning his head, Peter noticed the disciple Jesus loved following right behind. When Peter noticed him, he asked Jesus, "Master, what's going to happen to him?"
 ^22-23Jesus said, "If I want him to live until I come again, what's that to you? You—follow me." That is how the rumor got out among the brothers that this disciple wouldn't die. But that is not what Jesus said. He simply said, "If I want him to live until I come again, what's that to you?"
 ²⁴This is the same disciple who was eyewitness to all these things and wrote them down. And we all know that his eyewitness account is reliable and accurate.
 ²⁵There are so many other things Jesus did. If they were all written down, each of them, one by one, I can't imagine a world big enough to hold such a library of books.

Day 20/ I Saw the Master!

This chapter is about an empty tomb and a risen Savior!  Jesus tells them that they believe because they've seen it with their own eyes...but even better those who believe but have not seen.  I will let the power of these verses speak for themselves.

Day 20

John 20

Resurrection!

 ^1-2 Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him."  ^3-10Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.
 ^11-13But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?"
 ^13-14"They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him.
 ¹⁵Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?"
   She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him."
 ¹⁶Jesus said, "Mary."
   Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!"
 ¹⁷Jesus said, "Don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.'"
 ¹⁸Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.

To Believe

 ^19-20Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." Then he showed them his hands and side.  ^20-21The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his greeting: "Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you."
 ^22-23Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said. "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?"
 ^24-25But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, "We saw the Master."
   But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it."
 ²⁶Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you."
 ²⁷Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe."
 ²⁸Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"
 ²⁹Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."
 ^30-31Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.