A Party in Heaven….. September 20, 2009
Posted by bajanpoet in Christianity, devotional, personal, prophetic, testimony.Tags: Christianity, devotions, family, Nikao, prayer, salvation
10 comments
“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” – Luke 15:10
I am rejoicing this morning! The Lord is good and worthy to be praised! Yesterday, my wife went to her church’s cell group’s for people born in June and came home with prophetic words for our two boys and for me.
Before I mention what they were, let me say that before our boys were out of their mother’s womb, we had prayed, prophesied and laid hands on them through her bump and called God’s pupose down upon them. We spoke the prophetic into and over them both and said to God that they belonged to him. Our second son, Jonathan, especially, has a major call upon his life. We knew this because Satan kept trying to take him out – even BEFORE he came out of the womb! There were several times that Lesanne (my wife) nearly tripped and fell, there was one person who was encouraging us to abort him (as he was a surprise to us and we weren’t planning for him!) and even some medical conditions that arose in Lesanne during and after his birth. We always said that God had to have a special work for him if Satan would be working so hard to stop him from being born!
Our older son Nikao (means ‘He who overcomes’), who is four years old, loves to make up songs and we got him into learning the violin early, as ours is a musical family – his mother and I and one aunt (her sister) all sing well, and her sister’s husband plays the keyboard at his assembly. Her uncle plays the organ at an Anglican church as well. With that being said, the one giving the prophetic word over Nikao didn’t know any of that when he said that Nick would be a prophetic psalmist, who would be able to play several different instruments and would be able to release the presence of God through songs that he plays and writes. People will be released from bondages when he plays, too! Our friend said that strongholds would be broken when he plays, and that nothing will stop the songs from being released. When I heard that both Lesanne and I were excited, to say the least! WOW!
Our younger son Jonathan is two, and loves to dance. He also likes to try to boss people around! 
Anyway, for him, our friend said that he saw the little boy as a dancer and a preacher, also able to release the prophetic. Again, our friend doesn’t see when Jonathan dances at every single jingle that comes onto the television. You should hear him singing “How Great is Our God” – he can’t pronounce all the words yet, but he loves it! Our friend said that Jonathan will be a prophetic worshipper, and that the Glory of the Lord will fill the place when he ministers – like when the Glory filled the Temple after Solomon dedicated it. Again …. WOW!
For me our friend simply said that God has an anointing for me, and when it hits me it will be big and awesome.
God is ….. WOW….
But all of that is just the introduction for the real reason for this post.
This morning, before I sent the family off to assembly, Nikao was watching a show on TV with a preacher praying for the sick and seeng them healed. First, I realized that this was the first time that he was sitting down in one place and being intent on the TV for something that wasn’t cartoons. Lesanne and I started to pray that what God was doing on the TV would impart to the little boy. At breakfast, I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit, so I knelt down beside him as he had his cereal. I asked him if he remembered the story of Jesus dying for him on the Cross. He did. (He makes me read it to him quite often.) I had a toy in my hand and I asked him if I gave it to him as a gift what would he say. He said “Thank you” after I presented him with the toy. I explained that Jesus dying on the Cross was a gift to us, so that we could live with him and have him in our hearts. I sang the old Sunday School chorus that I learned as a boy:
“Into my heart, into my heart
Come into my heart Lord Jesus
Come in today
Come in to stay
Come into my heart Lord Jesus”
And I explained that to have Jesus into his heart all he has to do is thank God for the gift of Jesus Christ’s death. I was being a little overwhelmed by the presence of God and my emotions at that point, so Lesanne led him in a prayer of salvation. I laid hands on him afterwards and prayed that God’s purposes would be done in his life, and that what he had prayed be sealed so that Satan would not steal it. And then I knelt on the floor and cried in joy. 
I know the little boy is only four. I’m praying that my God will keep him, as the Word says that He is able to keep that which I have committed to him. So in faith I am declaring to the blogosphere – I LED MY LITTLE BOY TO JESUS CHRIST TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
!
Nikao, Robert, Lesanne and Jonathan (l-r)
Please pray for our family – Nikao, his brother Jonathan, my wife Lesanne and myself – that GOD WILL CONTINUE TO POUR OUT HIS BLESSINGS ON US ALL – and that at the proper time, Jonathan too, will COME TO FAITH and that the Glory of the LORD will rest upon us ALL!
TO GOD BE THE GLORY! GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!!!!!!
“Remember…” September 10, 2009
Posted by bajanpoet in Christianity, devotional, personal, testimony.Tags: Christian, Christianity, God encounters, personal, remember, testimony, zakar
8 comments
Have not updated this blog for a long time – I’ve been swamped with REAL LIFE…. and I have kept up with the blogosphere by reading, but have not let you into my life for a while now.
For those of you who are still reading – thanks for sticking with these unplanned hiatuses… I don’t like them any more than you do! For those who have stumbled onto The Hand of God, welcome!
Now, onto my post!
I have been trying to spend some more time with the Lord recently in the midst of changes of schedule. My older son (now 4) has started primary school – can anyone say ‘disruption’? Between trying to figure out new routes and times, and figuring out whether I could go into work later or not after dropping the younger son (now 2) to nursery… it was a trip just getting out the door on mornings!
I’ve also had more responsibility at work, necessitating ingenious ways of getting on top of my workload – including waking up at 4 in the morning to connect to the office computers so that I can check on the health of the company databases (I’m an IT professional in my other life.)
So – it was two days ago, and it was about 3:3o AM. I had just finished doing my early morning database checks, and I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit. I wanted to go and pray! I told my friend Jennifer that I’d talk to her later and signed off chat. (She’s in South Africa, which is like 9 hours ahead of my time zone in the Caribbean, so it was 3 AM on my side, but she’d probably just gotten to work at 9 AM her time.)
I sat on my couch and I just waited before the Lord. I prayed a bit, but then eventually went silent – and I just heard him say, “Zakar.” Now, as I commented in an earlier post, one meaning for this word is “remember.” Immediately after I heard that word, my mind was awash with memories of times when I was before large groups of my peers during university days and praying and prophesying over them. Different times and instances passed through my mind – a couple of times I was standing at the front with long lines of people filing up for me to lay hands on them; times I was prophesying at large student gatherings – all with that central theme of God using me.
For those who don’t know, I’m currently on sabbatical from ministry – seeking God and wanting more of him as I work through some personal issues. To have images from my past come unbidden to mind – especially these images – spoke volumes to me. It told me that God has not finished with me yet. It encouraged me that, as the Word says, “…God’s gifts and call are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29b) It made me long for the time where I’m released to minister again… and it made me seek God more for divine encounters with his Holy Spirit!
I then went to Bible Gateway (www.biblegateway.com) and saw that the Verse for the Day was Psalm 143:10, which says, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God: may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Sounds much like a prayer of my heart, so I decided to read the whole psalm. I was struck to silence by Ps. 143:5, which says:
I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
That’s exactly what God was doing before I saw the Scripture… having me remember days of long ago, and making me remember and meditate on the stuff he was doing! It was an awesome time for me. God, you are WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE! I’m so pumped to see where God is leading me…
Now, to stir life back into this connection with the interwebs….. here’s a question!
Has God done something in your life that is worthy of remembering? Let this be a memorial space…. let us know what you remember! Join us in “meditat[ing] in all [His] works, and consider[ing] what [His] hands have done.”
Life Together: Showing Mercy June 1, 2009
Posted by bajanpoet in Bible Study, Christianity, devotional, personal.Tags: Christianity, devotions, fellowship, Life Together, mercy, purpose driven life, Showing Mercy, what is fellowship
7 comments
Almost done this series! Continuing onward we’re going to look at showing mercy. The title of the devotion was “Life Together: Don’t be Reluctant to Show Mercy”.
You can read the devotion here.
Rev Warren comments that,
“In real fellowship people experience mercy. Fellowship is a place of grace, where mistakes aren’t rubbed in but rubbed out. Fellowship happens when mercy wins over justice.”
I mentioned an example of this in my second last post on Authentic Friendship , where my church came around me and supported and accepted me when I confessed a sin to them. That’s just showing mercy in action – true fellowship!
I like what he says here:
You can’t have fellowship without forgiveness because bitterness and resentment always destroy fellowship. Sometimes we hurt each other intentionally and sometimes unintentionally, but either way, it takes massive amounts of mercy and grace to create and maintain fellowship.
How about marriage? I’m sure my wife would agree with the above statement right now – massive amounts of mercy and grace…. ”Fellowship” is usually seen in the context of friends, or a small group, or a church… but reading that above statement, I’m sure that the family should be a microcosm of true fellowship. You have to forgive to maintain any relationship.
Quoting the Scripture, Rev Warren continues:
The Bible says, “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13 NLT).
The mercy God shows to us is the motivation for us to show mercy to others. Whenever you’re hurt by someone, you have a choice to make: Will I use my energy and emotions for retaliation or for resolution?
It’s easy to retalliate, hard to choose to forgive – but God says it’s necessary. (Did I just say that? Lord, help me to obey!)
I like the contrast he makes between forgiveness and trust:
Many people are reluctant to show mercy because they don’t understand the difference between trust and forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past. Trust has to do with future behavior.
Forgiveness must be immediate, whether or not a person asks for it. Trust must be rebuilt over time.Trust requires a track record. If someone hurts you repeatedly, you are commanded by God to forgive them instantly, but you are not expected to trust them immediately, and you are not expected to continue allowing them to hurt you. They must prove they have changed over time. The best place to restore trust is within the supportive context of a small group that offers both encouragement and accountability.
“Forgiveness must be immediate….trust must be built over time” I’m working this out in my own marriage right now… it’s not easy rebuilding trust… and every slip back jepordizes the whole process. I’m pushing ahead, though, with my friends and loved ones who are like Aaron and Hur, holding up Moses’ hands so that Joshua could win the battle
The passage is from Exodus 17:10-13:
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
I’m Joshua, fighting my battle against the Amalekites – my flesh and demonic oppression – but I have awesome friends and family who are like Moses, Aaron and Hur… interceding to heaven on my behalf!
…..
Now I have been fortunate, and I have been exposed to some of my readers’ and online friends’ struggle with spiritual abuse. I know that some reading this may be going through a mix of emotions as they deal with memories, reading how things should be and remembering how they were treated and abused…. just let me say that THE LORD LOVES YOU! No matter what others have done to you or with you…. just know that God loves you. Also, I want you to know, in the words of one of my blogging buddies, that you are safe with me. I know that trust takes a while to build, I know that people who promised to love you abused you… but here, you are safe.
My encouragement, then, is ask God to help us all to forgive, and to show mercy towards each other – that is true fellowship!
Thoughts?
Life Together: A Mutual Dependency May 27, 2009
Posted by bajanpoet in Bible Study, Christianity, devotional, personal.Tags: A Mutual Dependency, blog series, Christianity, devotions, friendship, interdependence, Life Together, purpose driven life
9 comments
Continuing on with the current series, I will be commenting on the next devotion in the Purpose Driven Life – A Mutual Dependency.
To read the whole devotion, click here.
How many Christians would see that authentic Christian life can be seen in the word interdependence? Rev. Warren starts of this devotion by saying,
“In authentic Christian fellowship people should experience a mutual dependency. This mutuality is the art of giving and receiving; it’s depending on each other.”
Now, personally, I don’t like depending on people. Honestly, I find it hard to ask for things. I willingly give of myself, but when it comes to asking … well… ummm… let’s say I’m still working on that. This devotion cuts across that, though. We are encouraged to depend on each other – for “no man is an island” is the popular adage, right?
I love The Message. It makes things so clear and understandable. Check this out:
The Bible says, “The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part” (1 Corinthians 12:25 MSG).
Now that’s clear! The church is seen as a Body… how much does the ’smallest’ part NEED the ‘bigger’ parts? It wouldn’t be a fully functioning Body without every single part! Interesting thought….
All of us are more consistent in our faith when others walk with us and encourage us. The Bible commands mutual accountability, mutual encouragement, mutual serving, and mutual honoring.
I know that’s true in my own life, for sure. Who hasn’t tried to work out alone? Have you been able to stick it on your own? No. I didn’t think so…. Reminds me of one of my most quoted Scriptures – Ecclesiastes 4:10-12
10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Isn’t that powerful? “If one falls down, his friend can pick him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up?” I’ve been down a lot recently (I’m going through a painful process), and thank God for my friends who are constantly there to help me up – through encouragement, prayer and support – several of them, who don’t live in the same country as me (thank God for Internet friends – long live the Blogosphere!) have independently mailed me books and resources that can help me through this time. I have cried thinking about how much my friends love me – some without seeing my face in person! I wouldn’t trade them for the world….
*wipes tears* Ok, where was I? Right… *cough* *cough*
Rev. Warren next says this:
Over fifty times in the New Testament we’re commanded to do different tasks for “one another” and “each other.” The Bible says, “Make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19 NIV).
Derek Prince makes mentions of the “one anothers” in Scripture. Over FIFTY TIMES!!!!!! WOW! I know that when God wants to emphasize something he repeats himself, “I, even I, am the Lord….” So what is he trying to say by repeating the same point over and over? Go figure. This isn’t supposed to be a solitary faith walk. No sir-ee…
The concluding statement is this:
You are not responsible for everyone in the body of Christ, but you are responsible to them. God expects you do whatever you can to help them.
So, what are you responsible to the Body of Christ with? What can you help with? How do you see yourself being of assistance to the Body?
Life Together: Authentic Friendships May 22, 2009
Posted by bajanpoet in Christianity, devotional, links, missional.12 comments
Continuing on our journey of discovery, this is the second installment of the Life Together series, where we are exploring corporate life together, with Rev Rick Warren and Purposed Driven Life.
Here’s the devotional in its entirety.
Now, to my thoughts. The first thing that jumps out at me is this quote:
Authentic fellowship is not superficial, surface-level chit-chat. It’s genuine, heart-to-heart, sometimes gut-level sharing.
Now I know that most people cannot even fathom this level of intimacy in their assemblies, but to me that is a shame – a travesty! To be known completely and to know completely – oh the JOY of it! You would not know until you stop how limiting living behind masks is. This goes far deeper than, “How are you?” “Fine.” “How are the children?” “Oh they’re good…” This level of authenticity is not for the faint-hearted. It is challenging…
It happens when people get honest about who they are and what is happening in their lives. They share their hurts, reveal their feelings, confess their failures, disclose their doubts, admit their fears, acknowledge their weaknesses, and ask for help and prayer.
My church family know my weaknesses, my sins .. just recently there was a great healing of my own personal emotions when I went to them confessing something I had done which was pretty serious, but having them all surround me and pray. As fear of rejection is one of the things I struggle with from time to time, one member prophetically discerned that I was still carrying guilt about the past actions (which went against what I was saying with my mouth!)
Then, on behalf of the group, she publicly recieved me and accepted me … that broke me – I fell on my face sobbing, as the guilt poured out in tears! After a long time of them literally surrounding me and praying over me as I was crouched on the floor, I was able to stand, whole, healed – and accepted!
Authenticity is the exact opposite of what you find in many churches. Instead of an atmosphere of honesty and humility, there is pretending, role-playing, politicking, superficial politeness, and shallow conversation. People wear masks, keep their guard up, and act as if everything is rosy in their lives. These attitudes are the death of real friendship.
It’s dangerous to be this open:
Of course, being authentic requires both courage and humility. It means facing our fear of exposure, rejection, and being hurt again.
That’s the sad truth. Instead of havens of holiness… most churches represent political parties – bickering and one-upmanship abound! It’s disgusting… rather than a place of peace and safety – a ‘city of refuge’ where those hurting can come to be healed and protected, most churches attack more than they assist – especially their own. Thank God it is not all like that!
Echoing the devotion’s question – who would want to take the risk of being ridiculed, ostrasized and hurt – again?
Because it’s the only way to grow spiritually and be emotionally healthy. The Bible says, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed” (James 5:16 MSG)
My own experience bears this out. My prayer is that for those hurting, the Body of Christ would again represent healing and wholeness rather than separation and pain. Like others (Jonie, Jennifer, Annie, to name a few….)
And you don’t have to look into a ‘traditional’ gathering in a building to fine authentic friendship in the Body of Christ! I have found authentic friends for life right here on the blogosphere – either by commenting on their blogs or having them commenting here on mine! The friends I have found here have borne me through some crises in my own life and have become wrapped around my heart – all without seeing them face to face (yet!)
Is there authentic friendship in your life? Do you see life together either with a group, either online or offline?
Life Together Series: A Shared Life May 19, 2009
Posted by bajanpoet in Bible Study, Christianity, House Church, devotional.Tags: A Shared Life, Christianity, fellowship, Life Together, purpose driven life, what is fellowship, what is the church
8 comments
I remember the last time I did a series off of my Purpose Driven Life devotionals that come up in my in-box. They were on love – love is an action, a decision, a habit, and others. This is another series from the same source.
Coming off of the last two posts on The Shape of the Church (part 1 and part 2), this series, taken from the Purpose Driven Connection – the weekly email devotional from Saddleback Church and Pastor Rick Warren is called the “Life Together” series – dealing with the focus of the church. The first devotion deals with “A Shared Life.”
To read the devotion yourself, click here.
Rev. Warren starts off with this:
God intends for us to experience life together. The Bible calls this shared experience “fellowship.”
Today, however, the word has lost most of its biblical meaning. Fellowship now usually refers to casual conversation, socializing, food, and fun.
Isn’t that the truth? But what is the real meaning of ‘fellowship’?
The Greek word for ‘fellowship is “koinōnia” and according to the Blue Letter Bible its definition is “fellowship, communion, communication, distribution, contribution, to communicate.”
Real fellowship is so much more than just showing up at services. It is experiencing life together. It includes unselfish loving, honest sharing, practical serving, sacrificial giving, sympathetic comforting, and all the other “one another” commands found in the New Testament.
That’s so true… as Rev. Warren also comments in this devotion:
When it comes to fellowship, size matters: smaller is better. You can worship with a crowd, but you can’t fellowship with one.
Once a group becomes larger than about ten people, someone stops participating—usually the quietest person—and a few people will dominate the group.
The small group is the heart of fellowship – of sharing life. My own home assembly is about ten people and I see this in practice – even although we can learn to do it so much more practically! It’s really humbling to see the entire church come out to help when one member is sick, or in need… I remember when I was low on funds for an extended period of time and some of the money we were collecting as tithes showed up unanounced under my door one evening – and a couple members of the church felt the need to contribute out of their pockets as well. All in all that day my wife and I saw about 3 envelopes that had almost $1000 all collected! All this without asking for any assistance!
Rev. Warren comments that, “The body of Christ, like your own body, is really a collection of many small cells. The life of the body of Christ, like your body, is contained in the cells.” This is the goal for small groups, although in practice I have found that when ’small group ministry’ is tacked on to a larger assembly’s DNA it doesn’t always achieve the fullest potential. Instead of a small group of people learning how to have real koinōnia through extended periods of sharing life by being vulnerable, being real – when it is tacked on to a larger assembly participants tend to retreat into the big meetings and never really connect.
When all you have is ten people – there is nowhere to hide! The quiet ones are encouraged to communicate, and the ones who are more dominant are more easily encouraged to let the others particpate. It’s easier in a small group to share hurts and pains, to confess sins and receive forgiveness, to ask for and receive practical assistance – and even to keep in contact!
How many of you really know the people in your church? What aspects of life do you share? Are you comfortable letting down your guard? Being yourself?
Thoughts?
Blue Letter Bible. “Dictionary and Word Search for ‘fellowship’ in the KJV”. Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2009. 19 May 2009. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?
Criteria=fellowship&t=KJV >
Repost: The True Meaning of the Cross April 8, 2009
Posted by bajanpoet in Bible Study, Christianity, devotional, links.Tags: Christianity, Easter, ponderings, true meaning of the cross, what is the cross, who is Jesus, why did Jesus die
3 comments
I am reposting this article here for two reasons – it is the most sought after post on my blog (still!) AND Easter is coming! Fine time to think about … The True Meaning of the Cross! Here we go…
I am putting a link here that I want people to visit. This website is so deep! It is Biblical teaching at its best. I’ve been reading things about House Churches and the Biblical fear of God…. but it was the teaching on THE MEANING OF THE CROSS that made me put up this blog entry. (The above link opens a new window.)
God sent his son who lived a perfect life and then, according to the plan of God, they rejected Him, whipped Him etc and God looked at all Jesus’ suffering at the hands of men and considered that to be payment for all our sins against Him.
That is heresy. The deepest form of heresy. You can be wrong about a lot of things but if you are wrong about the cross you are in trouble.
What? Our common conception of what happened on the Cross is heresy? What does the Bible teach about the Cross, then?
God‘s word says that if anyone declares the sinner to be right when he is not right is an abomination before Him. So if God declared you to be right when you were not right, If God simply forgives the wicked, He would become an abomination, according to His own word. He would become wicked. Imagine a judge sitting up there in his place on the bench, forgiving a murderer and letting him go. He would no longer be a just judge.
God is a just judge and God justice demands he throw men in hell
Therefore if God is a just God He cannot forgive… He must punish the wicked, That is the point of the whole Bible. All through the Old Testament we see animals dying.. it is symbol and type of the final and ultimate sacrifice.
More excerpts ….
Perhaps it is becoming a little more clear as to why God had to die. If he justifies the wicked person and declares the sinner to be righteous He, according to His own word, becomes an abomination. God can not simply forgive.
The law… God law demands that the sinner has to die.
Now the only way that God can forgive sinful men is if God who made the law and God who demands satisfaction .. comes down Himself and pays the penalty.
So what are we saved from?
When some one says they have been saved, the question to be asked is saved from what? Many people will say from sin. This is simply not true! Sin was an act you did. Sin isn’t going to throw you in hell. You have sinned, but sin is not a living being that going to judge you then throw you into hell.
What you have been saved from is not a what, it is a who.
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him. Romans 5:9. [Emphasis Added]
You have been saved from God. God is the judge of all the universe. YOU have sinned and made yourself an enemy of God. So when you stand before Him, He will judge you and throw you into hell.
Wow…. really…. never looked at it like that…. that’s – well, that’s true! ouch.
So we realize we have to be saved from God and His punishment, but how is that punishment to be done away with? When Jesus was dying on the cross it was not the nails in His hand, or the crown of thorns or the Roman spears that save you. The suffering that men heaped upon Jesus is not that which pays for the crime. God did not look on that suffering and okay Good Enough!. What paid for your sin is written in Isaiah 53:10 and 12
Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.
Usually when you hear a sermon or preaching on Isaiah 53, it usually centers around verses 3,4,5, and six, which talk about the suffering heaped on Jesus by men. Very rarely do you hear about Isaiah 53:10.
It pleased the Lord to crush Him.
Isaiah goes on to say
“…[He] was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:12)
So how is the Cross the way of salvation?
How is it that that cross saves you? Because Jesus bore on the cross all the sin that God hates. The sin of all God’s people, from the first man ever saved on the face of the earth to the last man ever saved on the face of the earth was placed on His son.. the sins of all of God’s people. Everything that should be poured out on sinful creatures through out eternity, God throws down on His only begotten Son in a matter of moments. Crushes Him under the weight of His own justice.
When Jesus said let this cup pass from me, people think it because He did not want to go to the cross. They usually imagine it was the physical agony that He did not want to go through…
No, Jesus wasn’t thinking about nails in His hand, about spears and crowns of thorns or Roman soldiers. He was thinking about the fact that He had never been out of the Father’s bosom. That He had never been separated from His Father and now the Father was about to turn His face away from His Son. The Father did not turn His face away because He did not want to see His son suffering, He turned His face away Because His son had become detestable. Which is why Matthew 27:46 tells us..
“About the ninth hour [3:00 PM] Jesus cried out [quoting Psalm 22:1] with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, Lama sabachthani?’ that is ‘My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?’”
Wow. Lord, Jesus…..
And so, the conclusion:
And if the day comes that you stand before this Holy God who is about to pass judgment on you without having your sins paid for by His Son, then be afraid, be very afraid, as the wrath which made Jesus say ‘let this cup pass from me’ is about to descend on your shoulders.
Remember that when you hear about Jesus dying for you, you know now that it is more than just some whips. While one cannot possibly depreciate the physical suffering it was nothing compared to the Son of God being crushed by His own Father. Comparatively those whips were nothing. And when He cried out “It is Finished” that meant ‘Paid In Full’. If you are a Christian, God can never pour out His wrath on you. It is impossible because His son drank it. It does not exist anymore. There is no more punishment left for you. But if you are not a Christian you don’t even want to know what awaits you..
Why did Jesus die on a Roman cross? He died for the sins of ungodly mankind, to save us from the wrath of God, and to make peace between us and God. “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Romans 5:1).
It was a long post… and there’s much more to that article…. but … I’m speechless.
If you are reading this right now, and you have been impacted by these excerpts, or this article, and you don’t yet know Jesus – if you would like to escape God’s wrath and become a positive son of God because Jesus paid your price in full…. say this prayer with me.
Father God, I recognize now what you have done in the Cross. I acknowledge that I have sinned and deserve your punishment. However, I recognize that Jesus has paid for my sins with his own blood… and all I have to do is receive him. I turn away from my sins now, and accept what Jesus’ blood has bought for me – my life! I repent of my sins, and say to you, “I want to be a new creature in Christ.” Thank you Jesus! Amen
If you have prayed this prayer…. respond to me by posting a comment. If you have been impacted, share the site with others.
My Heart’s Cry! March 8, 2009
Posted by bajanpoet in devotional, personal.Tags: "Be it Unto Me according to your word", devotion, Don Moen
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My dearest friend sent me a laptop a couple months ago to help with my ministry…. rammed to the hilt with some awesome music! She had responded to a comment (complaint?) I wrote on my weekly newsletter where I said I didn’t have enough worship music close by – and that lack was hindering my personal worship time. (I love you, Tola!)
I recently got a desktop as well, and decided to transfer the music to it so that I can listen to it better as well as use the CD-burner to burn the music onto CDs for use away from home. I came across this song from Don Moen, and every time I hear it since then I have been whisked into an intense worship experience:
“Be it unto me
According to your Word
According to your promises
I can stand secure
Carve upon my heart
The truth that sets me free
According to your Word O Lord
Be it unto me”
This song is based on Mary’s prayer after being visited by Gabriel, when she was told that she would be the one to bear the Christ – after her questions were answered, she was ready for God to do as he had said “… be it unto me according to thy word…” (Luke 1:38 KJV)
This song is my heart cry!
“These things you have spoken
And you’re bringing to pass
This world’s disappearing
But your word will last”
For every prophetic promise you have spoken over my life and ministry, “Be it unto me according to your word”, Lord Jesus!
Understanding The Secret Place (Psalm 91) December 12, 2008
Posted by bajanpoet in Christianity, devotional.Tags: Chip Brodgen, Christ, John 15, Psalm 91, secret place
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I’m reading this article from Chip Brogden named ”Christ: The Secret Place of the Most High.” As he says:
In the mind of the Spirit everything points us to Christ – there is no compartmentalization, there is no “thing” that has significance by itself. Everything is connected and pointing us to a deeper reality, and the reality we are being constantly brought around to is the Person of Jesus Christ. He is the theme, the subject, the point of everything written, everything illustrated, everything taught, everything recorded in the Bible.
Most people (Ok, I’ll admit – I did) see the ‘Secret Place of the Most High’ as a special place you can get in God where you are protected from harm and danger. However, as the article goes on, Chip speaks of this ’secret place’ as not a ‘place’ or ’state in God’, but as a PERSON: Christ himself…
And so, whenever we come across something in Scripture like “The Secret Place of the Most High God”, we who are spiritual – who have the Holy Spirit as our Teacher – should be trained enough by the Holy Spirit to be able to recognize immediately: that is Christ. There He is. I see yet another dimension of Him here.
He then asks a poignant question. If Christ IS the ’secret place’ and based on Psalm 91 we are encouraged that to dwell there, then how do we dwell there, if ‘there’ is the Person of Christ?
Let me ask, how can you make the Lord your habitation, your dwelling place? How is that possible? This can only be interpreted spiritually, it is absolutely impossible, and hardly conceivable, if we think of it naturally. How can the Lord be my dwelling place? How can I live in the Lord? Well, it’s like Nicodemus saying, “How can a man enter into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
How do we make the Lord our habitation? How can He become a place for us to dwell in? Well, it was a mystery for them in the Old Testament. They could go to the Temple, and they knew the priest could enter into the Holy of Holies, and perhaps that would be the closest anyone could get to dwelling, abiding, in the Lord, or at least, being in the presence of the Lord. But that was only for a few priests, it was not available to everyone.
An interesting parallel has been made between Psalm 91 and John 15. Jesus says ‘Abide in me’ … Psalm 91 encourages that ‘he who dwells in the secret place … shall abide … ‘ Interesting! Never saw this before – thanks Chip!
Then we come to those wonderful words of Jesus in John 15, and we begin to understand. It is quite beyond human explanation. It remains a mystery, a locked door, until the Lord Jesus Himself comes to us and reveals the mystery and unlocks the door. He says, “Abide in Me, and I will abide in you” (Jn. 15:4). It doesn’t take a very brilliant person to make the connection between Psalm 91 and John 15. The language is the same. Read John 15, then go back and read Psalm 91 again. All those words – abide, dwell, live – they all mean the same thing. “He who dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” goes right together with “Abide in Me, and I will abide in you.”
And so we come to the wonderful, awesome, powerful conclusion:
Yes, this Secret Place where we abide is Christ. It is not some thing or some place outside of Christ, but a place in Christ Himself. HE IS THE SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. He is that place that has been prepared for us.
Let us dig deeper than the surface to see the truth! The ’secret place’ is not a place for physical protection alone, but listen to the final paragraph from this deep revelation of Scripture:
Now when we read Psalm 91 it takes on an even greater significance. If you hold on to Psalm 91 for physical protection I don’t mean to discourage you or anyone else from doing so; but I do encourage you to dig deeper and get hold of it for something far better. It is a spiritual refuge, a spiritual covering, a place where evil cannot touch you, because you are hidden in Christ. A place where the body may become weak and may even be destroyed, beheaded like John the Baptist, stoned like Stephen, crucified like Peter – but the spirit cannot be touched. The communion and fellowship and presence of Christ Himself keeps you in His own Victory, a Victory that survives everything else, that goes beyond your own mortality, beyond your years here on earth, and goes with you up and away and apart from the earthy and the physical and the temporal – on into eternity.
Catch of the Day – Priceless Gift December 8, 2008
Posted by bajanpoet in Christianity, devotional.Tags: Christianity, gifts, spiritual gifts
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Below is today’s devotional from Catch of the Day - I posted it in its entirety because it spoke to me today… especially this quote:
And while we’re at it, let’s think of a spiritual gift we can give, based on what has been given to us. Regardless of our material resources, we are all rich in spiritual gifts. Give this some thought. Think of your spiritual gift (encouragement, wisdom, administration, mercy, service, teaching, etc.) and how you might turn it into a real present for someone this Christmas season. Make it something you can plan and accomplish as a deliberate act. Put a bow around it if it’s appropriate.
The concept of deliberately using our spiritual gifts to bless others this Christmas season is interesting. If you know what your spiritual gift is, what is it, and how do you think you can use it this season? If you DON’T know what it is what can you plan to do this season? Pray and ask God to reveal what spiritual gifts you have, and how you can practically help someone this season.
Now, to the devotion:
by John Fischer
Gift of service: Warm a cold heart with a blanket. Price: $35.00.
Gift of encouragement: Take flowers to a friend battling cancer. Price: $50.00.
Gift of leadership: Throw a Christmas party for your small group. Price: $200.
Gift of Christ to your next-door neighbor: Priceless.
Christmas is all about gift giving — making lists of gifts, purchasing gifts, wrapping gifts, giving gifts and opening gifts (and probably returning some, too). All of this is because of one priceless gift given to the human race two thousand years ago — the gift of God’s Son. And this gift came about as the result of God’s unfathomable mercy and grace. He did not have to do this. Nothing in us required it. He decided to be merciful to his own creation made in His image — all of us having turned our backs on Him and gone our own way.
Somehow we got fortunate. It’s definitely not because we’re cute. There is no merit here — nothing we deserve. Grace is getting what you don’t deserve; mercy is not getting what you do deserve. We have been given both. We don’t deserve anything from God except punishment for our sins, and what did He do? His mercy up and cancelled the punishment so His grace could give us life.
Two priceless gifts; one awesome God.
What can we do except be filled with gratitude and mimic His gift giving to the extent of our creativity and our resources?
And while we’re at it, let’s think of a spiritual gift we can give, based on what has been given to us. Regardless of our material resources, we are all rich in spiritual gifts. Give this some thought. Think of your spiritual gift (encouragement, wisdom, administration, mercy, service, teaching, etc.) and how you might turn it into a real present for someone this Christmas season. Make it something you can plan and accomplish as a deliberate act. Put a bow around it if it’s appropriate.
Part of giving the gift of Christ this Christmas comes through passing on the gift He has given us. His gifts to each of us are always for someone else anyway.
Christmas is spiritual, full of gifts and gift giving. Let’s not forget to give the gift of Christ this Christmas. It’s the one gift among all the others that is truly priceless.
