Love So Amazing

That’s really the message of the cross. The love!

Love is a noun, a verb and an adjective. Love is all encompassing!

In the garden, God and Adam and Eve had perfect communion. God walked with them in the cool of the day; they talked about the things they saw and did. But that communion was interrupted when disobedience took control.

The cross restored that!

Romans, chapter 5, shows what God has done to restore the relationship that was broken. It touches my heart deeply. I will ask you to read it, sometime between now and Easter. Let it speak to you, let God reveal to you the depth of His love expressed on the cross.

“Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinfulNo one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.

But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger. 10 Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by the life of his Son. 11 And in addition to everything else, we are happy because God sent our Lord Jesus Christ to make peace with us.” Romans 5:6-11 CEV

16 There is a lot of difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gift. That one sin led to punishment. But God’s gift made it possible for us to be acceptable to him, even though we have sinned many times. 17 Death ruled like a king because Adam had sinned. But that cannot compare with what Jesus Christ has done. God has treated us with undeserved grace, and he has accepted us because of Jesus. And so we will live and rule like kings.

18  Everyone was going to be punished because Adam sinned. But because of the good thing that Christ has done, God accepts us and gives us the gift of life. 19 Adam disobeyed God and caused many others to be sinners. But Jesus obeyed him and will make many people acceptable to God.” Romans 5:16-19 CEV

God’s plan was for us to be reconciled and restored in our relationship with Him! Jesus’ love for the Father was so great that He willingly gave His life for our redemption. There is no greater expression of love than that.

The words to an old hymn are rising in my heart.

” O the love that drew salvation’s plan!
O the grace that brought it down to man!
O the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary. [Refrain]

Refrain:
Mercy there was great and grace was free,
Pardon there was multiplied to me,
There my burdened soul found liberty–
At Calvary.”

This song was written in 1895 and has been sung hundreds of thousands of times. So many have walked the road to the cross and found mercy, grace, forgiveness, and liberty but if I had been the only one Christ still would have died – just for me, just for you!

He’s not willing that anyone should perish. His desire is for all to come and find new life, At Calvary!

The Lamb

Today we will walk in the steps of the Israelites as they get ready to leave Egypt. Over 500 years have passed since Abraham and Jacob went to the mountain and God provided a sacrificial lamb.

In our story today, there is another lamb that needs to be sacrificed.

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph have all died. The Israelities, Jacob’s descendants, had gone to Egypt during a time of famine. Joseph had been promoted by the pharaoh as the second most influential man in Egypt. His planning had saved many from starvation but after he died the Bible tells us that a pharaoh who “didn’t know Joseph” began to rule and he was afraid of the Israelites, so he enslaved them.

God saw the plight of the Israelites and put a plan in motion for their salvation and deliverance. Enter Moses, the one who would lead them out of Egypt.

Moses had been raised in the pharaoh’s palace. He had been rescued as an infant by pharaoh’s daughter, but he lost his status in the palace, fled Egypt, became a shepherd, had an encounter with the Lord and returned to Egypt as the one who had been called to deliver God’s people.

“Then after Moses grew up, his faith made him refuse to be called the king’s grandson. 25  He chose to be mistreated with God’s people instead of having the good time that sin could bring for a little while. 26 Moses knew that the treasures of Egypt were not as wonderful as what he would receive from suffering for the Messiah, and he looked forward to his reward.” Hebrews 11:24-26 CEV

You’re probably aware of the story, “Let my people go” was God’s message. However, the pharaoh had a hard heart and no matter the severity of the plagues – frogs, locusts, darkness, hail, blood, blight of crops, animals dying, – he refused to let them go.

The final plague was the death of the first born in every household. However, God had a plan that would save and deliver the Israelites.

 So Moses called all the elders together and told them, ‘Get the lambs for your families. Kill the lambs for the Passover. 22 Take bunches of hyssop and dip them in the bowls filled with blood. Paint the blood on the sides and top of each doorframe. No one must leave their house until morning. 23 At the time the Lord goes through Egypt to kill the firstborn, he will see the blood on the sides and top of each doorframe. Then he will protect that house and not let the Destroyer come into any of your houses and hurt you. 24 You must remember this command. This law is for you and your descendants forever. 25 You must remember to do this even when you go to the land the Lord is giving you. 26 When your children ask you, ‘Why are we doing this ceremony?’ 27 you will say, ‘This Passover is to honor the Lord, because when we were in Egypt, he passed over the houses of Israel. He killed the Egyptians, but he saved the people in our houses.’” Exodus 12:21-27 ERV

The blood of the lamb was a sign of obedience and salvation for the Israelites.

Hundreds of years later Jesus was celebrating the Passover with his disciples, and this is what He said:

“When the time came for Jesus and the apostles to eat, 15 he said to them, “I have very much wanted to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer…19 Jesus took some bread in his hands and gave thanks for it. He broke the bread and handed it to his apostles. Then he said, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Eat this as a way of remembering me!’ 20  After the meal he took another cup of wine in his hands. Then he said, ‘This is my blood. It is poured out for you, and with it God makes his new agreement.'” Luke 22:14-21 CEV

A lamb, an innocent lamb, became a milestone, a sign post of direction pointing the way to the Lamb of God and the cross.

Shadows on the Road

When I went to Bible College our professor, Dr. Mitchell, taught about the types and shadows in the Old Testament that pointed to Christ. I remember well his class on Isaac.

“The Lord said, ‘Go get Isaac, your only son, the one you dearly love! Take him to the land of Moriah, and I will show you a mountain where you must sacrifice him to me on the fires of an altar.’ So Abraham got up early the next morning and chopped wood for the fire. He put a saddle on his donkey and set out with Isaac and two servants for the place where God had told him to go. Three days later Abraham looked off in the distance and saw the place.”

Imagine, if you will, that you are Abraham. God promised you a son and you waited patiently for 25 years for that son to be born. Now, your son is probably a young man in his teens and as you talk with the Lord in your morning quiet time the Lord gives you the instruction to offer him as a sacrifice.

Shocking! Disheartening! Unsettling for sure!

Three days they walked. Three days the thought of Isaac’s death was weighing on Abraham’s heart.

“He told his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey, while my son and I go over there to worship. We will come back.’ Abraham put the wood on Isaac’s shoulder, but he carried the hot coals and the knife. As the two of them walked along, 7-8 Isaac said, ‘Father, we have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?’

“My son,” Abraham answered, “God will provide the lamb.” Genesis 22:5-8 CEV

Now they walked, just the two of them, on the path to the mountain top. Much like the walk Christ took on the way to the hill of Golgotha. Isaac had wood on his shoulders, Jesus had a wooden cross.

“God will provide the lamb”.

They walked on and when they reached the mountain Abraham had Isaac help him build the altar and place the wood on it.

“Next, he tied up his son and put him on the wood. 10  He then took the knife and got ready to kill his son. 11 But the Lord’s angel shouted from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” Genesis 22:9-11 CEV

Jesus was nailed to a cross and Isaac was tied to the wood. Abraham was willing to be obedient to God even if it meant he gave up the one he loved the most in this life. God gave up his Only Begotten Son.

” Abraham had been promised that Isaac, his only son, would continue his family. But when Abraham was tested, he had faith and was willing to sacrifice Isaac, 19 because he was sure that God could raise people to life. This was just like getting Isaac back from death.” Hebrews 11:17-19 CEV

Here’s what God did next.

“Don’t hurt the boy or harm him in any way!” the angel said. “Now I know that you truly obey God, because you were willing to offer him your only son.” 13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in the bushes. So he took the ram and sacrificed it instead of his son. 14 Abraham named that place ‘The Lord Will Provide.'” Genesis 22:12-14 CEV

God provided a lamb for Abraham and He provided the Lamb of God for us.

“When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, ‘Here is the Lamb of God!’ John 1:36 CEV

When Abraham left the servants at the bottom of the mountain he said the boy and I will return.

“Abraham and Isaac went back to the servants who had come with him, and they returned to Abraham’s home in Beersheba.” Genesis 22:19 CEV

On Jesus’ last night with His disciples He said He was going to His Father’s house but He would return.

We are all now waiting for that to happen. The shadow of Christ is on the road and we who love Him will see Him soon.

An Ark on the Road

Just a few generations after Adam we find his (x7) great grandson Noah.

“The Lord saw how bad the people on earth were and that everything they thought and planned was evil. He was sorry that he had made them, and he said, ‘I’m going to destroy every person on earth! I’ll even wipe out animals, birds, and reptiles. I’m sorry I ever made them.’ But the Lord was pleased with Noah,  and this is the story about him. Noah was the only person who lived right and obeyed God.” Genesis 6:5-9 CEV

It’s important to see that even if there is only one person who is living for the Lord He will still provide and protect them.

“Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see.  It was their faith that made our ancestors pleasing to God…6But without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and rewards everyone who searches for him.  Because Noah had faith, he was warned about something that had not yet happened. He obeyed and built a boat that saved him and his family. In this way the people of the world were judged, and Noah was given the blessings that come to everyone who pleases God.” Hebrews 11:1,2,6&7 CEV

I’m sure you’ve heard it said that Hebrews, chapter 11, is the Hall of Fame of Faith. It records the deeds of those men and women who lived to please God. Each one had a personal encounter with God. None of them were perfect but their hearts were filled with faith.

The ark was a type of salvation. It provided everything that Noah and his family needed to live and thrive during the flood. God made a way to protect those who loved Him and were willing to follow His plan.

“Eight people went into that boat and were brought safely through the flood. 21 Those flood waters were like baptism that now saves you. But baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience, because Jesus Christ was raised from death.” I Peter 3:20-21 CEV

Noah and his family were taking steps of faith toward a cross they couldn’t see.

“Noah built an altar where he could offer sacrifices to the Lord. Then he offered on the altar one of each kind of animal and bird that could be used for a sacrifice. 21 The smell of the burning offering pleased the Lord, and he said: ‘Never again will I punish the earth for the sinful things its people do. All of them have evil thoughts from the time they are young, but I will never destroy everything that breathes, as I did this time.'” Genesis 8:20-21 CEV

The promise that God made to Noah is also for us.

“Again, God said to Noah and his sons: 9′ I am going to make a solemn promise to you and to everyone who will live after you...16 When I see the rainbow in the sky, I will always remember the promise that I have made to every living creature. 17 The rainbow will be the sign of that solemn promise.'” Genesis 8:8-17 CEV

The safety of the ark and the promise of the rainbow lead us down the road to the plan of salvation that the cross provides.

The Road to the Cross

I imagine some of you were wondering if I was going to miss a day with the blog; well no, it is just later than usual.

My Sundays are a time of reflection and of doing things that I’m not able to do during the week. Dave and I attend on-line church services, go for a walk together and if I haven’t heard from the Lord for a morning devotional I wait until I do. That’s the way it went today.

Realizing that Easter Sunday is the end of this month the Lord put it on my heart to share what I am calling “The Road to the Cross”. This may be a bit different than your used to but I feel it will be a time of reflection for all of us.

The first steps on the Road were taken in the Garden of Eden.

“The Lord God called out to the man and asked, “Where are you?” 10 The man answered, “I was naked, and when I heard you walking through the garden, I was frightened and hid!”

11 “How did you know you were naked?” God asked. “Did you eat any fruit from that tree in the middle of the garden?” 12 “It was the woman you put here with me,” the man said. “She gave me some of the fruit, and I ate it.”

13  The Lord God then asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The snake tricked me,” she answered, “and I ate some of that fruit.”

14 So the Lord God said to the snake: “Because of what you have done,
you will be the only animal to suffer this curse—For as long as you live,…15 You and this woman will hate each other; your descendants and hers will always be enemies. One of hers will strike you on the head, and you will strike him on the heel.” Genesis 3:10-15 CEV

Here, a perfect couple, living in a perfect environment, communing with perfect God, had a freewill and used it to go contrary to what God had said. Instead of wiping them off the face of the earth with a simple brush of His hand God made provision for mankind to be restored.

21 Then the Lord God made clothes out of animal skins for the man and his wife.” Genesis 3:21 CEV

An animal was killed, blood was shed and forgiveness was enacted.

“The Law says that almost everything must be sprinkled with blood, and no sins can be forgiven unless blood is offered.” Hebrews 9:22 CEV

There in the Garden, that perfect place, death occurred physically and spiritually. Spiritually, man separated himself from communion with His Father and Creator. Physically, an animal died to provide a covering for Adam and Eve.

It was an action that would have eternal consequences.

“Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die. 13 Sin was in the world before the Law came. But no record of sin was kept, because there was no Law. 14 Yet death still had power over all who lived from the time of Adam to the time of Moses. This happened, though not everyone disobeyed a direct command from God, as Adam did.

In some ways Adam is like Christ who came later. 15 But the gift of God’s undeserved grace was very different from Adam’s sin. That one sin brought death to many others. Yet in an even greater way, Jesus Christ alone brought God’s gift of undeserved grace to many people.” Romans 5:12-15 CEV

For the next several days and possibly weeks, we will be looking at God’s steps from the Garden to the Cross. From man’s rebellion to Christ’s restitution; from a beginning that was sin free to relationship restored.

I encourage you to walk this road with me. We’ll make stops along the way, we’ll see God’s patience, His mercy and His unconditional love all which add up to one thing – His Grace!

Questioning God’s Love

People today often question how a loving God could allow bad things to happen so I would like to answer a bit of that.

“A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came to give life—life that is full and good.” John 10:10 ERV

There is a real enemy on this earth, the devil, and he causes and manipulates people and circumstances for evil. God has given us power over all the works of the enemy. And when we get to heaven all will be perfect. No devil, no evil.

I have heard this question asked on several occasions, I’m sure you have too. “How can a loving God send good people to hell?” The answer in their minds appears to be hard and calloused and anything but loving. Jesus addresses that in His teaching.

 “You can enter true life only through the narrow gate. The gate to hell is very wide, and there is plenty of room on the road that leads there. Many people go that way. 14 But the gate that opens the way to true life is narrow. And the road that leads there is hard to follow. Only a few people find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 ERV

No one has ever gone to hell for the bad things they have done but everyone will go to hell for the one thing they haven’t done.

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31

We have to remember that God has the ability to look at the heart while we only look at the outward appearance. It’s only God who can know if someone has accepted or rejected the sacrifice that His Son made for the forgiveness of sin. Good people can’t work their way to heaven, they must have a Savior. On the other hand, bad people can’t be so bad to have God turn them away.

Remember the criminal on the cross. He had a death-bed conversion.

“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you begin ruling as king!’ 43 Then Jesus said to him, ‘I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” Luke 23:42-32 ERV

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9 KJV

“This is what the Scripture says: ‘God’s teaching is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart.’ It is the teaching of faith that we tell people. 9 If you openly say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from death, you will be saved. 10 Yes, we believe in Jesus deep in our hearts, and so we are made right with God. And we openly say that we believe in him, and so we are saved. 11 Yes, the Scriptures say, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.” Romans 10:8-11 CEV

With salvation our whole life is changed. We become new creatures in Christ, we get a heart transplant removing a heart of stone and giving us a heart of flesh and we get our minds washed as they are renewed by God’s word and we no longer conform to this world ways but we are transformed in our thinking, a new mind set.

God’s love is unconditional and reaches to all. Do I question God’s love? No, it’s perfect!

Weather Report

This morning we are in California. Had a safe, short flight yesterday from Arizona. All of our family will be at our oldest granddaughter’s home for Christmas. What a joy! I hope you will be understanding if I miss posting a couple of blogs over the next few days.

One of the things we did when packing for the trip was check the weather report. Long sleeve/short sleeve, polar fleece, rain wear, long pants, shorts, hikers or tennis shoes. All these were considerations for our wardrobe.

When we lived in Montana, we always had to look at the weather report, consider any possible storms and plan accordingly. Most anywhere we went we would have 3 passes to go over and winter travelling could be treacherous.

I’ve often wondered what the weather must have been like travelling to Bethlehem all those years ago.

I know it wouldn’t have been subzero but it can get cold in the desert regions or was there rain? Ladies, imagine this, 9 months pregnant, riding a donkey, sleeping under the stars. Regardless of the weather, it may have been perfect, but that’s not the time you want to try out the new tent and sleeping bags you just got from BassPro, right?

What was Mary thinking, this was certainly a “memory maker”? Did the trip affect her disposition? What questions did this young woman have, after all, it was her first pregnancy?

” So they went running and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the feeding box. 17 When they saw the baby, they told what the angels said about this child. 18 Everyone was surprised when they heard what the shepherds told them. 19 Mary continued to think about these things, trying to understand them.” Luke 2:16-19 ERV

As a mother, I sit here this morning remembering different Christmas mornings with my children and grandchildren. I pray that the significance of that first Christmas morning stays as the focal point in their lives long after I am gone.

Your Christmas celebration may not be perfect, Mary’s wasn’t. Don’t be sidetracked if things don’t go as planned. Keep your focus on the “reason for the season” and even if the weather is cold and gray, keep your heart merry and filled with love.

There are no words of gratitude that can possibly express my heart’s joy over the events of that first Christmas morning and how it’s changed my life.

Thank you, Father for loving me enough to give me the gift of Your Son and relationship of eternal life with You that first Christmas day.

The Gift of Love

Why Christmas?

Have you ever asked yourself, why Christmas? Christ-mas: the day of Christ. The day of His appearing was the gift of love.

I have been reading through this morning’s verses over and over again. First one translation and then another, these verses are the why of Christmas. This is the purpose of Christmas – a gift of love.

We have been made right with God because of our faith. So we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through our faith, Christ has brought us into that blessing of God’s grace that we now enjoy. And we are very happy because of the hope we have of sharing God’s glory. And we are also happy with the troubles we have. Why are we happy with troubles? Because we know that these troubles make us more patientAnd this patience is proof that we are strong. And this proof gives us hopeAnd this hope will never disappoint us. We know this because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts through the Holy Spirit he gave us.

Christ died for us when we were unable to help ourselves. We were living against God, but at just the right time Christ died for usVery few people will die to save the life of someone else, even if it is for a good person. Someone might be willing to die for an especially good person. But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us.

We have been made right with God by the blood sacrifice of Christ. So through Christ we will surely be saved from God’s anger. 10 I mean that while we were God’s enemies, he made friends with us through his Son’s death. And the fact that we are now God’s friends makes it even more certain that he will save us through his Son’s life. 11 And not only will we be saved, but we also rejoice right now in what God has done for us through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is because of Jesus that we are now God’s friends.” Romans 5:1-11 ERV

Why Christmas?

Without it there would have been no Christ. Without His birth there would have been no death. Without His death there would have been no salvation. Without His salvation there would have been no friendship with God.

Why Christmas? Without it there would have been no gift of love!

Where’s Jesus?

I share this story every year because it’s one I want to remember.

Years ago, when we moved back to Arizona from Montana one of our favorite places to go was to Tubac. We had purchased a Santa Fe style home and wanted to furnish it accordingly. This artisan community gave us so many wonderful ideas and was the perfect place to shop. It still is.

Anyway, we had one or two favorite stores and struck up a relationship with the shop keepers. Each year I would decorate our home at Christmas time with nativities and angels. The Country Shoppe had the most diverse selection of nativity sets of any of the stores. It also had the most unusual display.

Looking at each set, small or large, it didn’t take long to notice that something was missing. There was no baby Jesus! Upon closer inspection, shoppers would notice several small handwritten signs.

Please ask for the baby Jesus

I was intrigued. I asked the shopkeeper about the sign. He told me that although the store has little to no theft, the one item that is consistently taken is the baby Jesus. Because of that they keep Him in the backroom, only to be added to the set when a purchase is made.

Who would steal the baby Jesus? But it was definitely a thing. “Ask for the baby Jesus”, the sign was intriguing.

Isn’t that what the shepherds had to do? Ask for the baby Jesus. Afterall, the angels had only told them that He would be laying in a manager in Bethlehem. How many mangers did they stop at? How many times did they ask, “where’s the babe”?

 The angels went from the shepherds back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see what has happened. The Lord has told us about this.” 16 They went fast and found Mary and Joseph. They found the Baby lying in a place where cattle are fed. 17 When they saw the Child, they told what the angel said about Him. 18 All who heard it were surprised at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary hid all these words in her heart. She thought about them much. 20 The shepherds went back full of joy. They thanked God for all they had heard and seen. It happened as the angel had told them.” Luke 2:15-20 NLV

It’s an important question for you and I. Where’s Jesus?

Have we left Him as a babe in the manger, only to be brought out of the back room at Christmas? Is He in a picture on the wall that we look at occasionally and then go on about our day? Or, does He live within our hearts as our constant companion, our Savior, Lord and King?

“There was a rich man named Zaccheus. He was a leader of those who gathered taxes. Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus but he could not because so many people were there and he was a short man… At once he came down and was glad to have Jesus come to his house.” Luke 19:1-6 NLV

Jesus desires to live in our house, in our hearts. Invite Him in. Let everyone know the answer to “where’s Jesus”.

The Gift of God

When our children were little, we began a tradition of passing out the gifts, after Dave had read the Christmas story from Luke 2.

The kids would work together taking presents from under the tree and passing them to their intended recipients. Once all the gifts were distributed, the youngest family member got to open the first present. Then each one of us would open a present, all the time observing the succession of youngest to oldest. And we still do that today.

Even in our leanest years financially there would be more than one gift for them to open. There were gifts!

That was the scene that filled my mind this morning. The gifts.

“God does not change His mind when He chooses men and gives them His gifts. 32 God has said that all men have broken His Law. But He will show loving-kindness on all of them.’ Romans 11:29 & 32 NLV

God has given us His gifts and He doesn’t change His mind. What a thought! It would be cruel to promise a gift and then withhold it. God doesn’t do that.

“Then the Lord said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am watching to see that My Word is completed.’” Jeremiah 1:12 NLV

“For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for well-being and not for trouble, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will look for Me and find Me, when you look for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 NLV

I didn’t title this morning’s blog “The Gifts of God” but instead “The Gift of God”, for a reason. Our heavenly Father has many gifts waiting for us – forgiveness, joy, peace, grace, strength, His abiding presence but the many gifts come through “The Gift of God”, Jesus.

“Men become right with God by putting their trust in Jesus Christ. God will accept men if they come this way. All men are the same to God. 23 For all men have sinned and have missed the shining-greatness of God. 24 Anyone can be made right with God by the free gift of His loving-favor. It is Jesus Christ Who bought them with His blood and made them free from their sins.” Romans 3:22-24 NLV

Once we receive the gift of His Son and our forgiveness of sins we are reconciled to God; adopted by Him and become heirs of His promises.

“The yes to all of God’s promises is in Christ. And that is why we say “Amen” through Christ to the glory of God. 21 And God is the one who makes you and us strong in Christ. God is also the one who chose us for his work” II Corinthians 1:20-21 ERV

It’s time to open our hearts to the gift of God, to His Son, Jesus!