PASSOVER PREPARATIONS (6): "3 days and 3 nights" - Jack Kelley

 

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Feasts of the Lord is a "Feature Series" that in preparation of an upcoming Feast is posted to prepare and to study.

Passover is Coming;  

The Celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus is Soon; 


Easter Season is upon us.

"What You Do and How You Do It Is Between You and God"

We at the Jewish Network  present information for study and revelation of Jesus. This includes sometimes traditonal practices by Jew and Gentile alike; Christian and not. Our purpose is to inform of the facts of all these "traditions" and/or "practices" not so a person can cause division, strife, hardship or headache when all should look to Jesus to resolve these facts into a viable solution for yourself and your family in God; but rather; we would see people learn to see how Jesus walks in the midst of His People even if they do not yet Know Who He Is. It is our prayer, all would disccover Messiah and be saved.

This isn't Messianic or Jewish or Christian.

It is Information to help you uncover and discover a personal realtionship with God our Father.

That is done through Jesus his Son. 

The Rest is Up to You.

 

 

Preparing for Passover  II  When is Passover in 2011?  Passover in 2011 will start on Tuesday, the 19th of April  and will continue for 7 days until Tuesday, the 26th of April.  Note that in the Jewish calander, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day,  so observing Jews will celebrate Passover on the sunset of Monday, the 18th of April.

  

 

Preparing for Passover  II Solving the Three Day Three Night Mystery A Bible Study by Jack Kelley In Matthew 12:38 Jesus is asked for a sign that He’s the promised Messiah. The religious officials had just accused Him of using the power of Satan to perform His miracles, and so He described the only sign they would see. “Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish,” He said, “So will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matt. 12:40).” By this He meant that because their hearts were hard they would only know for sure that He was their Messiah after they had killed Him, but His response resulted in a 2000 year controversy surrounding the time of His death.   What’s a Sabbath? Actually the controversy exists largely among gentile believers. Most people familiar with the Jewish religion and culture figured it out long ago. But to gentiles who don’t know about these things, the phrase in John 19:31 identifying the day after the Crucifixion as a special Sabbath means that Jesus had to have been crucified on a Friday, because even gentiles know that the Jewish Sabbath is Saturday. Many otherwise competent resources (such as the Study Bible I use) make that mistake. And everyone agrees that He rose again on Sunday. There isn’t any way you can put three days and three nights between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning. Hence the controversy. So let’s get it straight. Sabbath means holy day. There is one every Saturday in Israel, but there are also several during the year that are date specific. That means they are always observed on a specific calendar date, regardless of the day. They’re like our Christmas. It always comes on the 25th of December no matter what day of the week that happens to be. The special Sabbath John referred to is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and it’s a date specific holy day; always observed on the 15th of the month they call Nisan, which corresponds to March/April on our calendar. So the first thing we learn is that the special Sabbath mentioned in John 19:31 wasn’t a Saturday. In fact there are three special Sabbaths (or Holy Days, if you prefer) in the month of Nisan alone; Passover on the 14th, the Feast of Unleavened Bread which begins on the 15th and runs through the 22nd, and the Feast of First Fruits on the Sunday morning following Passover.  Of the three, only Unleavened Bread prohibits work like the weekly Sabbath, but all have both a historical and prophetic purpose and like all days in the Jewish calendar they begin at sundown, following the pattern of Genesis 1. (This also confuses Gentiles since our day begins at midnight.) The Passover Lamb The next issue we have to address is the sequence of events in the week we call Holy Week.   In Exodus 12, where the Passover was ordained, we learn what  that sequence was.  God told the Israelites to select a lamb on the 10th day of the month and inspect it for defects until the 14th. This means through the end of the 13th. Then at twilight they were to slaughter and roast it, eating it that same evening.  Using some of its blood they were to paint their door posts red to protect them from the plague coming upon Egypt at midnight. Jesus came to fulfill the prophecy of the Passover Lamb, to save from death everyone who applies His shed blood to their lives. The only day He ever allowed the people to hail Him as King was on the day we call Palm Sunday, and as we’ll see it was the 10th day of the month. He did this to fulfill the selection process for the Passover Lamb.  When the officials told Him to quiet His disciples, He said that if they became quiet, the very stones would cry out (Luke 19:40). For this was the day ordained in history. It was the day He officially became the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world. It was 483 years to the day from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, spoken of by Daniel the Prophet as the day the Messiah would present Himself to Israel.  (Daniel 9:25)  A little while after the officials spoke with Him, He condemned Jerusalem to utter destruction because they did not recognize the day of His visitation (Luke 19:41-44). The next three days were filled with the most aggressive debate and confrontation with the officials in His entire ministry.  He was being inspected for any doctrinal spot or blemish that would disqualify Him as the Lamb of God. They found none, and finally no one dared ask Him any more questions. (Matt. 22:46) Tradition, Tradition Some years before the birth of Jesus the Passover celebration had been changed and in the Lord’s time called for a brief ritual meal of lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs (horseradish) to begin the 14th followed by a great and leisurely festival meal on the 15th, when the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins. This tradition is still followed today. The 14th became known as Preparation Day (Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, John 19:31), because on it they made ready for the great feast day beginning at sundown, after which no work was permitted.  Matthew identifies the day after the Crucifixion as the day after Preparation Day (Matt. 27:62) so all four Gospels agree.  Jesus died on Preparation day, the 14th of their month Nisan, which is Passover. He ate the ritual meal with His disciples in the Upper Room, and then was arrested, tried, convicted, and put to death; all on Passover. He had to be, in order to fulfill the prophecies of the Passover Lamb. So just like the Lord had commanded in Exodus 12, He was selected on the 10th, inspected on the 11th, 12th, and 13th, and executed on the 14th of Nisan. How Do We Know This? A little over 100 years ago a believer named Robert Anderson was head of Scotland Yard’s investigative division. He became intrigued by the three days and three nights issue and enlisted the help of the London Royal Observatory to investigate the problem since astronomers can locate the exact position of the planets and stars on any date in history. Since Passover always falls on the 14th, and since the Jewish calendar is lunar (moon) rather than solar (sun) oriented, there is always a full moon on Passover. This fulfills Genesis 1:14. Plotting the course of the Sun and Moon they documented the day and date of every full moon. The Royal Observatory discovered that the first Palm Sunday was the 10th of Nisan, the day when Exodus 12 says to select the lamb.   Therefore Passover, the 14th, was Thursday.  The Feast of Unleavened bread began on Friday the 15th, Saturday the 16th was the weekly Sabbath, and Resurrection Morning was also a Sunday, the 17th.  From Thursday to Sunday there are three days and three nights.  Here’s how it works. It’s a little confusing to our way of thinking because the Hebrew day changes at sunset, which means that night precedes day.  But read carefully and you’ll see that it makes sense. As I’ve said, Jesus had to die on Passover to fulfill the prophecy. Early that Thursday morning the Jewish leadership gotten permission to crucify Him. (Matt. 27:1-26)  His fate was sealed and He was hanging on the cross by 9 AM, as good as dead.  His actual time of death was about 3 PM and His body was laid in the tomb sometime later, since the officials wanted it off the cross before sundown brought the Feast of Unleavened Bread, after which no work was permitted.  By then Jesus had been in Sheol for several hours.   Thursday was day one. Because in Jewish reckoning the night precedes the day, at sundown it became Friday the 15th, night one, and the special Sabbath John mentioned began (John 19:31). At sunrise it was Friday day, day two. The next sundown brought Saturday night the 16th, night two, and the regular Sabbath began. As of sunrise it was Saturday day, day three. At sundown on Saturday it became Sunday night the 17th, night three, and sometime before sunrise Jesus rose from the tomb. Three days and three nights. When the women arrived at sunrise to anoint His body, He was already gone. So in the week Jesus died two Sabbaths that permitted no work were observed back to back: The Feast of Unleavened Bread on Friday the 15th, and the regular weekly Sabbath on Saturday the 16th. In Matthew 28:1 we read that at dawn on the first day of the week (Sunday the 17th) the women who were close to Jesus went to the tomb.  Luke 24:1 tells us they were going to anoint His body for burial. The two Sabbaths had prevented them from doing so earlier. But He wasn’t there. He had risen.  Being the Sunday after Passover, at the Jewish Temple it was Feast of First Fruits.  At the Empty Tomb it was Resurrection Morning. Some people try to equate his time of death with the burial of His body and say you can’t count Thursday as day one, because His body wasn’t laid in the tomb until sunset was upon them.  But that doesn’t make sense.  A person’s death always precedes his or her burial, sometimes by several days.  In the Lord’s case it was several hours between the time He died the the time His body was lain in the tomb. The two disciples who met the Lord on the road to Emmaus that Sunday (the day the Lord’s resurrection was discovered) help us to confirm this (Luke 24:13-35).  At first they thought the Lord must have been a very recent visitor to the area when He asked them to explain why they were so sad.  In the course of the discussion they indicated it was the third day since the crucifixion.  “Since” is roughly equivalent to “after”.  It being Sunday, the previous day (Saturday) would have been the 2nd day since it happened , and Friday would have been the first day since it happened, making Thursday the day it happened. Others argue that this view doesn’t permit three full days and three full nights in the tomb but that’s not what the Scripture says. It simply says three days and three nights. If you move his death up to Wednesday like some teach to get three full days you violate the Passover Lamb prophecies. So the Thursday date is the only one that will accommodate both the Passover Lamb and the three day three night prophecies. Selah

 

Last Call: "A Week of Greg Laurie" (11th-16th)

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"All ' Week of ' are Presented in Weekly Format"

(Posted on Monday for all Seven days of the Week as a collection)

 

 

 A Week of  

Greg Laurie

 

 

Monday

The Captain

"Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me."

— Acts 27:25

In Luke 5 we find the story of Jesus using a floating pulpit of sorts. The crowds were pressing in on Him to such an extent that He asked Peter if He could borrow his boat to speak to them. Peter agreed, and so Jesus launched out a little from the shore and spoke to this group. After He was done, He said to Peter, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."

Peter said, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." Peter used a unique nautical term in his response to Jesus, which could be translated, "We have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless Master, or Captain of this boat, we will do it."

Jesus was what we would call a landlubber. He was not a guy who spent time on the water. He was a rabbi. So when He said, "Let's go fishing," Peter might have been saying, "You know, Lord, with all due respect, when it comes to teaching, You are the Man. But this is kind of our thing. This is what we do. We know the way fish bite, and we know when to go and when not to go. We have already been fishing. This is a waste of time."

I don't know how Peter said what he said to Jesus or the tone he used. But I know this much: when they launched out into the deep, there were so many fish in their nets that they began to break and the boat began to sink. Another boat was brought up, and it was overwhelmed with fish as well.

Is Jesus the Captain of your boat?

 

Let Him be that for you. Let Him take control. 

 

 

Tuesday

Are You Prepared?

 

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

— 1 John 2:28

When the first Christmas came, when Jesus was born, most people missed it. Of course, there were no telltale signs like reindeer on front lawns. No Christmas songs had been written. There were no colorful, twinkling lights or sales at the downtown market. Children did not find it hard to sleep that night, because it was a night like any other night.

But the first Christmas was not without its signs, which dated back a few centuries. The Hebrew prophets had predicted the Messiah was coming, and they were very specific in pointing out that he would be born of a virgin in the little village of Bethlehem: " 'But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting' " (Micah 5:2).

On the first Christmas, it was pretty much business as usual. Things had been bleak for the Jewish people for some time. There had been an icy silence from heaven. Four hundred years had passed, and there had not been a single prophet to speak for God. There had been no miracles performed. They were under the tyranny of Rome. Things were very dark. It was time for the Messiah.

Yet when He finally arrived, so many missed it: The innkeeper. The people of Bethlehem. The scholars. Herod. All of Rome. Only a handful of people got it and were ready.

Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth again. The question is, have we done more to prepare for the celebration of a past event than we have for a future one? We may all be ready for Christmas, but are we ready for the return of Christ?

 

Wednesday

What God Knows about You

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. 
—Psalm 56:8

Scientists now tell us that we never forget anything. It is estimated that in a lifetime, the human brain can store one million billion bits of information. I have a hard time believing that, because it seems like I forget a lot. Yet there have been times when certain things have triggered memories that go back so many years, and I am surprised that I can still remember them so vividly.

God remembers everything—at all times. There is never a lapse in His memory. He never forgets someone. God is omniscient, which means He knows everything. God's knowledge is as eternal as He is. What God knows now, He has always known and always will know. God doesn't learn new things; He knows them from the beginning. And He doesn't forget what He has learned like we do. We learn new things, but God never does.

The Bible says that God knows about every little bird that falls to the ground. And not only that, He knows about you. Jesus said, "The very hairs on your head are all numbered" (Matthew 10:30). Now it doesn't require a lot to number the hairs on my head. But for others, it is a lot more work.

This awesome God who created the universe is interested in you. What bothers you? What concerns you? What brings heartache to you? What brings tears to your eyes? It is of concern to God. So whatever you are facing right now, He knows about it. He is concerned about it. He is aware of the wrongs that are done in our world today. Nothing catches Him by surprise, because He dwells in the eternal realm. He knows the end from the beginning. This all-knowing God loves you. And He welcomes you into fellowship with Him. 

 

Thursday

Always God

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.

— John 1:1–2

Before there was a world, before there were planets, before there was light or darkness, before there was anything but the Godhead, there was Jesus, a member of the Trinity. He is coequal, coeternal, and coexistent with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He was with God, and He was God. Then He came to this earth as a man. He entered our world, He breathed our air, He shared our pain, and He walked in our shoes—and then some. He lived our life, and then He died our death.

Jesus did not become identical with us; He became identified with us. That is an important distinction. No one was ever more identified with humanity than Jesus. It was total identification without any loss of identity. He became one of us without ceasing to be himself. He became human without ceasing to be God. Jesus did not exchange deity for humanity; He was deity in humanity.

The Bible is clear in making the point that Jesus was God and that He was the Creator of the universe. We are told that "God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him" (John 1:3). And Colossians 1:16 tells us, "For through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him."

Jesus is the most controversial figure who has ever lived. Many preach on Him and speak about Him. Some have it right. Some don't. He is loved, adored, worshipped, and followed by some. He is hated, despised, and rejected by others. He is disregarded and ignored by most. Yet Jesus is God. 

 

Friday

What I Believe

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 
—Romans 10:14

Sometimes people ask me why I do what I do. I have a very simple answer to that question, which is that I really do believe the things that we read in the Bible are true.

For example, I really believe what the Bible says about our lives being "a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). I really believe there is an eternity, there is an afterlife, there is a heaven, and there is a hell. I really believe that only those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ will go to heaven. And I also believe that I need to share this message with as many people as possible.

I received the following letter from someone who came to Christ at one of our Harvest Crusades some years ago: 

My younger brother went to sleep one night and never woke up. He was 23 years old, and he had just graduated from college. He moved to Philadelphia after he graduated... I found out the Harvest Crusade was coming to Philadelphia, so I took my younger brother with me to hear the gospel. He was not yet a believer. He went forward at the invitation and gave his life to Christ, and God called him home... one month after his commitment to Christ. My brother lives today because of your ministry... he is in the arms of Jesus, and that's where I will meet him again.

That is why I do what I do. That is why I want to get the gospel out. And that is why we were placed on this earth: to come into a relationship with God, to know Him, and to glorify Him with our lives. 

 

Saturday

 

The Holy Spirit's Work

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me. 
—John 16:7-8

It is sometimes hard for us to grasp the fact that the Holy Spirit is a Him, not an it. After all, the Bible describes the Holy Spirit as a mighty rushing wind. We read of His coming upon the disciples in a divided flame of fire. We also read about His descending as a dove.

But let's remember that Jesus is called the Bread of Life, and the Father is described as a refuge, hiding us under the shadow of His wings. Does that mean that Jesus is a loaf of bread—or that the Father is a giant bird in heaven? Of course not. These are simply metaphors to help us understand God.

The Holy Spirit is a Him, and He has specific work that He wants to do. This includes convicting us of our sin—not necessarily sin in general, but to show us that we are sinners. The Holy Spirit takes the message of the death and resurrection of Jesus, shows us it is true, and shows us that we need to turn to God. Without the convicting power of the Spirit, you would never have come to Jesus. That is why, when I am praying for an unbeliever, I pray that God would convict him or her by His Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit doesn't convict us of our sin to drive us to despair, but to send us into the open arms of Jesus. When Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, Acts 2:37 says that the people "were cut to the heart" (Acts 2:37). This phrase means "pierced in the heart" and describes something that is sudden and unexpected. The Holy Spirit will stab you, in effect, but it is not to destroy you. It is to show you your need for Jesus.  

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Last Call: "A Week of Mike MacIntosh" (11th-16th)

lastcalldevotionalnetwork@gmail.com

"All ' Week of ' are Presented in Weekly Format"

(Posted on Monday for all Seven days of the Week as a collection)

 

 

 A Week of  

Mike MacIntosh

 

MONDAY

April 11

MORNING

He who believes in Me has everlasting life

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be the Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from old, from everlasting.
Micah 5:2

In our passage written by the prophet Micah, we read that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Micah's prophesy gave the people of God hope of a promised Messiah who would rule forever. Now we wouldn't think that a great and powerful king would be born in a small town or village.

In fact, Micah says that this town was "little" compared to Judah, where thousands lived. It's interesting that the word Bethlehem means, "house of bread." It was out of this house of bread that the Messiah would come. Look at what Jesus says about Himself in the book of John:

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world" (John 6:47-51).

So, this little town, this house of bread, was the birthplace of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Though His upbringing was lowly and poor, and though He was born in a feed trough with penniless parents,Jesus Christ came from this house of bread to become the Bread of Life, the Living Bread.

Now is the time, this Christmas, to give Jesus His proper place in your life. Let Him be the Bread of Life in you, in your marriage, in your relationships, and in your business. Let Him be the One to satisfy that spiritual hunger. Give Him your life today; that's why He came to earth!

"For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John 6:33).

 

TUESDAY

April 12

MORNING

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:10-11

Isn't it awesome that the angelic realm was speaking to the shepherds? I mean, when it came to occupations, shepherding was the lowest of the low. Many shepherds in that day were vagabonds and criminals. And God chose them to be an important part of the birth of Jesus.

The first words out of the angel's mouth: "Fear not." (And can you blame him? I'm sure they were frightened right out of their sandals). These same words were given to Mary when Gabriel spoke to her back in Luke 1:30-31, announcing that she would conceive from the Holy Spirit.  Joseph also heard these words (Matthew 1:20).

The key point is this: Salvation gives us hope and it takes away fear.With Jesus as our Savior, what do we really have to be afraid of? Whether you are a man or a woman, you have nothing to fear if God is with you. If you have an occupation that isn't the most glamorous, you have nothing to fear if Jesus is your Lord and Savior. Whether you are older or are a teenager, you have nothing to fear if you've put your faith in Jesus Christ. "Fear not!" Our eternity is secure; we will be with Him forever!

Some may say, "That's all well and good, and I believe it, but I have quite a set of problems here and now. I have family coming over to the house, and that is causing me stress and tension." Or, "I have presents to buy, but no money to buy them." Or maybe a loved one has died and this will be the first Christmas without them. Whatever the fear or problem is, take heart; Jesus can supply the answer.

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God.
-Luke 1:30

And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
-Luke 1:35

For with God nothing shall be impossible.
-Luke 1:37

God can do what you or others may think impossible. The key is to allow the Holy Spirit to move and work in your circumstances and follow His leading.

You might be saying, "Yeah, but I have been praying about this fear, this problem, for years and nothing has changed." Well look at another passage in Luke to see another person (Zacharias) who hadn't received an answer to prayer his whole life.

But the angel said to him, Fear not, Zacharias: for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear a son, and you will call his name John.
Luke 1:13

The angel said, "fear not", and "your prayer is heard." And those are words that God speaks to you this day. Don't give up. There are countless testimonies of God's faithfulness to both hear and answer prayer. Yes, it can be difficult. Yes, I know it can cause great fear to wait for God to answer. But don't stop seeking God. Christmas is a time that we remember not only the birth of our Savior but also the faithfulness and goodness of our Heavenly Father.

 

 

 

WEDNESDAY

 

April 13

These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" Matthew 10:5-7 Wherever you are, you are a missionary. Today, as a believer, you have been sent by God -- maybe to a culture unreached by the Gospel, or maybe to a desk job five minutes up the road. Either way, don't take it lightly. When Jesus sent out His disciples to preach His word, He gave them specific marching orders -- He didn't just give suggestions or offer advice; He "commanded" them. That word, "commanded," is an interesting word that is transliterated from the original Greek as "paragello." And this simple word unlocks a revealing look at our role as missionaries in our world. First, "paragello" was used in Jesus' time as a military command or charge. In the same way that a general sends his commanders out on a campaign, so Jesus sends his disciples into battle. And battles are never pretty. We must always remember that a spiritual battle exists around us, and it is a battle over souls -- a battle not against flesh and blood, but against "spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). When we lose sight of this battle, it's easy to become petty, bitter, self-focused, and ultimately ineffective. The enemy would love nothing better. Second, "paragello" was used as "a summoning of friends to one's help." You see, as missionaries, we are not just taking blind orders from a war general; we have the opportunity to help a friend -- the Friend above all friends. "No longer do I call you servants," Jesus says, "for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15). Next, "paragello" was used to describe a teacher giving rules and precepts to his students. It can be easy for us, especially after years of walking with the Lord, to think we know "enough." But we are to be students of Jesus, always curious, always asking questions, always studying His teachings, so that we are ready "in season and out of season" to preach the word (2 Timothy 4:2). Finally, "paragello" was used for imperial command -- a king, for example, sending his ambassadors into the world. And isn't it humbling that God would choose us as His ambassadors? Isn't it incredible that the Sovereign Lord who spoke creation into existence chooses us to speak an encouraging word to a friend, or demonstrate His forgiveness to an enemy? It's not always easy, but being missionaries of the Most High God is one of the greatest privileges afforded to us.   We are soldiers in a spiritual battle, friends of the Commander, students of His teachings, and ambassadors of His love. Today, realize that you are a missionary, and let Jesus do a wonderful work of His love in and through you.       THURSDAY   April 14 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come." Matthew 12:31-32 I've heard many people ask, "Can God forgive me? I've done so many bad things in my life. Have I committed the unpardonable sin?"   I've heard these words from murderers, criminals, divorced couples, mommies who have had abortions, and daddies involved with pornography. Sometimes our lives stack up with such heaviness that there is no way we can ever imagine that God in heaven would care enough--or even exercise the power to--forgive us. But here is one of the greatest things you can ever get out of the Bible: "Your sins are forgiven." No matter how ugly or how dark that sin is, or how far back it goes, you need to trust the words of Jesus here, and trust Him that what He said is true. If you've given your heart to Him, then your sins are forgiven. He didn't create you to carry the guilt around; it's been paid for on the cross. You are now free and brand new! "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). But some of you are maybe struggling with the meaning of this "unpardonable sin." Let me encourage you that if you're even asking if you have committed this sin, you haven't. This blaspheme of the Holy Spirit is all about a hardness of heart and an uncaring attitude toward God. Take the Pharisees, for example.   When Jesus spoke about the reality of sin and the hope of forgiveness, they actually attributed His works to Satanic activity, totally ignoring any thought of personal conviction or repentance (Mark 3:22). They were so concerned about upholding their religious appearance and traditions that they rejected God.   And how can God forgive someone who rejects His forgiveness--who denies the conviction of the Holy Spirit in his or her life and thus refuses Christ's free gift of salvation? This is the single unpardonable sin. Today, though, if you've surrendered your life to Him--if you've accepted His free gift of salvation--there is no sin of yours that will not be forgiven. If you feel conviction for sin in your life, you have not committed any unpardonable sin; the Holy Spirit is at work. So, keep your heart and mind in tune with God. Let Him convict you in areas where you are weak. Know that as Christians we have been changed, and our hearts are new. We get the joy and privilege of serving Him and serving each other. Keep in touch with Him in prayer and in reading His Word. And be encouraged today that as a Christian, Jesus Christ has forgiven you.       FRIDAY April 15 Another parable Jesus put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches." Matthew 13:31-32 The kingdom of heaven is not like an earthly kingdom, with boundaries that can be outlined on a map and buildings that define its skyline. The kingdom of heaven is not a physical place, but a spiritual domain -- God's domain. When you make the decision to surrender your life to Jesus Christ, your heart becomes God's domain. And as you grow in faith, that domain grows bigger and bigger -- it expands within you as God reigns more fully each day in your life, and it overflows from you as the Lord draws those around you to Himself through your witness and example. In Matthew 13, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed "which a man took and sowed in his field" (verse 31). Among the smallest of all seeds, a mustard seed is only about one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter. In fact, there are grains of dirt larger than a mustard seed! But when it is planted, it can become a mighty tree. You see, if we are willing to allow the kingdom of heaven to be planted in our hearts, even when the seed is only the size of a mustard seed, it will grow and become stronger until it is like a mighty tree that gives shade to those below it, and a place of nesting for the birds flying above it. Jesus says in Matthew 4:17, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." He's not making reference to a celestial city with pearly gates and fluffy clouds -- He is proclaiming that through His death, if we will repent, our sins will be forgiven and our hearts will become God's domain. The kingdom of heaven will take root in our lives, like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a strong tree. Today, does God truly have reign over your heart? Is His kingdom expanding both in and through you? Maybe you think, "My life is a mess -- I'll get my act together first, and then I'll go to God." No! That's like saying, "I'll grow the mustard tree myself, and then I'll plant the seed." God desires that we come to Him exactly as we are, with all our hurts, problems, bitterness, sadness, anger -- everything. Nothing is a surprise to Him, and only He can bring restoration. Or maybe you think, "I know the Lord wants me to do something for Him, but I don't have the time or resources." Let the Lord grow the mustard tree. Let Him provide everything you need. You must simply be faithful to plant the seed. That's all God requires. If you will have faith the size of that tiny mustard seed, He will be faithful to take His place in your heart, and do a work in and through you like you never imagined. "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9).     SATURDAY April 16 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you."  Genesis 41:39-40 My two dogs love to run free.  Whenever I go for a run, I'll open up the gate and they both come running to the car.  Like little kids, they fight for the front seat, (though usually the weimaraner gets it over the retriever).  Those dogs know that I'm about to drive them to an open canyon where they can run free, and they love it.  But when I take them for walks, it's a different story.  I'll open up the gate, and as soon as they see the leash, they're both perfectly still.  No excitement, no fighting to see who's first -- they don't like the leash.  But without a leash, they'd run way out ahead of me, or out into the street, and get themselves into all kinds of trouble.  Without a leash, they would never walk close to me.  Sometimes the Lord allows us to experience pain and suffering so that we'll learn to walk closer to Him.  Like a leash, trials teach us obedience. Joseph was a man who knew pain and suffering.  He had been abandoned by his family, shunned and almost killed by his brothers, rejected by his boss, abandoned by his friends, and forgotten by his enemies.  At the age of 17, he found himself in a foreign land where he didn't know one person, and didn't speak the language.  He'd been abused, imprisoned, and mocked.  By age 30, he very likely could have been a bitter, hardened criminal.  But he wasn't.  Not by a long shot. Thirteen years after being abandoned by his brothers, Joseph had developed such a close relationship with God that he held no grudges or bitterness.  In fact, he had such wisdom from God that Pharaoh appointed him the most powerful man in all of Egypt.  At age 30, he sat at the most powerful place on the planet, and was able to rule millions of people with wisdom. I'm sure Joseph must have wondered many times, while sitting in a dark jail cell, "Why God?"  Have you ever found yourself asking God that question?  "Why am I suffering like this?"  I sure have.  But God doesn't give us the big picture, because it would require no faith on our part.  Had God told Joseph that He was going to make him the ruler of the most powerful, most advanced nation in the world, Joseph would not have developed such a tender heart, and would not have learned to rely on God.  He would have sat waiting for a paycheck, an entitlement that was "due" him.  Instead, he learned obedience and acquired wisdom, both of which would equip him for the daunting tasks that lay ahead of him. You see, when we suffer trials, God is at work. Romans 8:28 says that "in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Sometimes it will take thirteen years to see what God has been doing all along, but like Joseph, we must learn obedience through the suffering. When we get to the end of our lives, myself included, we're going to kick ourselves that we didn't spend more time with the Lord.  We're going to wish we'd spent more time praying, serving, learning from His Word, and fellowshipping with Him.  Today, whatever your circumstances, learn to walk closely with God.

 

 

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