The Old Rugged Cross

"And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split."
(Matthew 27:50,51)

"...then behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom..."

Quietly settle your spirit so that you can take hold of this miracle of God. At the very moment Jesus took his last breath, the earth turned dark and trembled. Simultaneously, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. Its blue, purple and scarlet threads frayed and ripped apart as the power of God surged through its fabric.

This is very significant. The veil was a thick curtain hung within the inner court of the Tabernacle to SEPARATE the attending priests from the Holy of Holies where God's Spirit dwelt. With the veil destroyed, the people of God would no longer be separated from His Presence. The work of Redemption was finished.

Just imagine. Now we can rest in the glory of God's Presence. Joy unspeakable. Abundant peace. Grace beyond measure.

All because of the old rugged cross.

Sing it with me. Oh come on...no one is listening...no one, but Him.

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross.,
The emblem of suffering and shame.
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Til my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it someday for a crown.

The next time you feel overwhelmed by the stresses of life, close your eyes and picture the old rugged cross upon Calvary's hill.

Your battle was fought and won right on that blood-stained cross.

If only we could learn to walk in that victory.

Lord, how I love Your cross! I confess that I used to take it for granted, but in the hard times, in my times of anguish, Your cross took on more meaning for me. Now I understand that You died to heal my broken heart. You died to set me free from the bondage of this earth. You died so that I can approach God's throne of grace boldly and talk to Him, telling Him my heart. You, Jesus, did that for me! Thank You Lord. Thank You for Your sacrifice and for the power of Your cross.

Shine Like the Stars in the Darkness

"For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and arguing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world."
(Philippians 2:13-15)

Is it possible to do ALL things without complaining and arguing? That's a tough one.

My husband has named "my other personality" Trudy Lou. Trudy Lou is not nearly as accommodating as Nan. She tends to be a little bit moody. She lacks on the gracious side and has very strong opinions. Sometimes I wonder if Trudy Lou is the part of me that has not surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Verse 15 tells us that we are living in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation and that we are to "shine like lights in the world." The New International Version of the Bible reads, that we are to "shine like stars in the universe."

Can you picture this? Our life is not our own once we have declared Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. No matter what happens to us, we are to "conduct ourselves worthy of the gospel of Christ" (Philippians 1:27). We are to shine like the stars in the darkness around us. We carry Jesus (through His indwelling Holy Spirit) everywhere with us. We are His representatives. His ambassadors to the world.

How quickly we forget this.

I don't want you to focus on the negative here - the "don't complain or argue." I want you to concentrate on the glorious statement, "shine like the stars in the universe." Because, if I'm shining, then the arguing and complaining will take care of itself.

That makes my heart happy; that gives me a goal to work towards that will glorify my Heavenly Father. "For it is GOD who works in you..."

We only need to LET Him work in us.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

It's all about Him.

Father, I fall so short when it comes to murmuring and complaining. Please forgive me. I want to be Your Light in the darkness. I want my life and my Light to draw people to You. Thank You for that privilege, Lord. Write it on my heart, speak it gently to my spirit as I go about my daily routine. Be glorified in my life, Lord.

Repair the Altar of the Lord

"And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice, no one answered, no one paid attention. Then Elijah said to all the people, 'Come near to me.' So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down."
(1 Kings 18:29,30)

"...And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down."

Do you remember this story of Elijah?

The region around Samaria had been experiencing drought for nearly three years. The drought was God's response to the Israelites' worship of other gods under the rebellious leadership of King Ahab. King Ahab had built an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal. The children of God were worshiping everything but the One True God - and Baal had become the "Big Kahuna"!

Now Elijah brought them a challenge: Would Baal send rain or would the Lord God send rain?

The prophet Elijah gathered all the children of Israel and the prophets of Baal together on Mount Carmel. And Elijah spoke to them, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." (verse 21)

Elijah challenged Baal's prophets (450 of them!) to present a burnt offering to Baal, but without lighting the fire themselves. Baal would surely ignite the wood and consume their offering if he was a god to be worshiped, right? And upon receiving the offering, Baal would show his pleasure by sending the rain.

At least that's what they thought.

For hours, the prophets of Baal cried out to Baal. They worked themselves into a frenzy, leaping upon the altar, dancing around it like a bunch of hooligans, cutting themselves...all for naught.

Then, like a gentle father, Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down." (verse 30)

Elijah prayed, "Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You ARE the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again." Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice...(verses 37,38)

What is the lesson God has for us?

We must come to the conclusion that He, ALONE, is God. We can build altars our whole life long and then worship those things that will never satisfy. We can work ourselves into a frenzy trying to get those gods to respond. We can leap up on the altars, demanding a response from our bank accounts, our refrigerators, our lusts and our fancy toys - all to no avail. For there is only One True God - El Elyon, the Lord Most High is His Name.

Dear one, repair the altar of the Lord that has broken down in your life.

We all experience times of rebellion, times of wandering and drifting away. We build our altars to worship our pain, justifying every piece of brick and mortar placed there by each tear that falls.

But, only the Lord our God can satisfy. Only He can heal your heart, restore your life and meet your needs.

Trust Him. Fall on your knees and worship Him.

Declare Him Lord of your life.

Lord God, You are mighty and worthy to be praised. You Lord, are the One True God. We recognize that and yet...and yet we STILL turn to our man-made gods, our sources of provision and pleasure. Father, forgive us! Forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We lift Your Name on high and worship You, Lord. Thank You for Your love.

Lest We Drift Away

"Therefore we must give all the more careful attention to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him?"
(Hebrews 2: 1-3)

"...how shall we escape if we NEGLECT so great a salvation..."

If ever there was a time in our lives that we need to cling to our Heavenly Father, it is now! The world, as we know it, seems to be crumbling around us. Where is the morality? Where is the ethical code that establishes society's boundaries? Where is our Christian nation?

And where is the adherence to God's Holy Word?

For many of us, our faith has been slowly eroding away by the steady ebb and flow of the world's tide of influence. For sure, it hasn't been blatant - Heaven forbid! Our self-righteous pride would never allow for that!

No, it has been subtle. For years and years, the spirit of humanism has lowered a veil over our spiritual eyes and clouded the eyes of our hearts with deception. And now that deception is weaving its ugly tendrils around our brothers and sisters in Christ!

The Lord spoke very clearly to me this morning, "Wake up! Wake up My child and do not neglect your salvation! Pay attention to the Truths you have heard and experienced - yes, the Truths you have walked in. Pay attention and do not drift away. For the Kingdom of God is at hand. Guard your spirits. For heaven's sake, guard your minds! Put on the helmet of salvation and allow Me to transform you into the image of My son. Do not be deceived. Cling to Me. Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you. You are My child. Do NOT neglect your salvation."

Whoa - I wasn't expecting that! I'll bet you weren't either.

I have learned to listen for the Lord's response to my prayers. I have learned to cling to Him, to take Him out of that beautifully gilded box and let Him reign in my heart.

My prayer is that you will do the same.

Friends, do not neglect the gift of your salvation. God's Word to us is urgent and heartfelt. Dig deep into His Word. Sit at His feet and let Him teach you His Truths. Pour out your heart to Him, fully transparent, fully yielded to His Holy Spirit. Let His love wash over You, cleansing you, freeing you from the chains that bind. And dare to take Him at His Word.

Child, He loves you with an everlasting love.

Father, Your Word is strong and profitable. And sometimes it is hard to hear. Thank You for Your Word to us today. Give us courage to heed Your warnings and determination to walk closer to You. In these days of trouble, surround Your children with a hedge of protection. Hide us under the shadow of Your wing. You, Lord are our refuge. Your Name is a strong tower we can run to and be safe. Thank You for Your mighty power and love. And thank You for your discipline.

My God is Able

"Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to all the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
(Ephesians 3:20,21)

Can we even begin to understand His love, not to mention the enormous power and ability of our God?

WOW!!

"Now to Him Who is ABLE to do EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY above all we ask or think (or imagine)..."

How is He able? "...according to ALL the power that works in us."

OK. That's how He does it, but what is the source of this power working IN us? The Holy Spirit! The same power (Spirit) that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us. It is through this power that God is ABLE! He is ABLE to do exceedingly abundantly above ALL we ask or think! Praise Him!! Nothing is too difficult for our God.

What are the burdens on your heart? Do you have secret dreams tucked away in the shadowy recesses of your mind? Maybe you are facing "giants" - mountains of debt, fear of rejection...the agony of depression.

Know this, dear one, your GOD is ABLE!!

And the rest of the story? He takes great delight in showing Himself mighty on your behalf.

And it's all because of His amazing love.

Lord, Your amazing love! How can it be that You, my God, should die for me? Thank You, Father. What a comfort I find in knowing that nothing that concerns me is too difficult for You. Here's my heart, Lord, with all its hurts and disappointments. I give them to You. I trust You, Lord.

Are You Expecting?

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor - it is a gift of God."
(Ecclesiastes 3:11-13)

Are you like me? I like to know what to expect, when, where, how and why! I hate to admit it, but maybe that gives me a sense of control. Ugh! I like solid ground beneath my feet.

I believe, in this passage, Solomon is exhorting the people of God to take a deep breath and relax. Rest in the knowledge that God is God and, if He can put the stars in place, then surely He can orchestrate and define my life. If I know that He is God, isn't that enough?

I need only to trust.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time."

That is so true, isn't it? When we open our hearts to the goodness of God, we can see Him and His handiwork everywhere. Even in our most tragic circumstances, if we take God's hand and look back, we can find beauty in the sorrow, joy in the pain. We can see His Light in our darkness.

"...it is a gift of God."

Thank You for Your gift, Lord. Help us to see Your gift of knowledge, of sovereignty, as an extension of Your love. Why is it so hard for us to relax in this Truth? We want to be the one steering the boat, or at least the one navigating! Forgive us Lord. Forgive us for minimizing You and Your power. Forgive us for not automatically finding Your good in everything. It is so hard, Lord, when we are in the fire! Stir within us the spirit of expectation - looking for and expecting to find Your beauty in all things, according to Your promise. Thank You, Lord. I love You.

Beneath the Grape Arbor

"But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all people walk each in the name of his god, but WE will walk in the Name of the Lord our God forever and ever."
(Micah 4:4,5)

I've been thinking about this.

Micah is a prophetic book that speaks primarily to the coming kingdom of the Lord. Micah addresses the Sovereignty of God, His judgments, His compassion...His forgiveness.

Chapter 4 addresses "The Lord's Reign in Zion." And yes, it is referring to the time when, once again, God establishes His Kingdom upon the earth. Oh, what a wonderfully peaceful and glorious time that will be - well beyond our own comprehensions.

But, this is what I was thinking - and, actually, its nothing new. But, it is something we need to take to heart...

"But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid." Why? "For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken."

Picture this: Rolling, emerald green pastures dotted with the sweetness of lambs grazing in the natural splendor. The farmer of this land has been working very hard, toiling night and day to care for the land his Heavenly Father has given him. He lifts his hat, wipes the sweat from his brow and saunters over to the cooling shade beneath his grape arbor. The sweet aroma of nearby fig trees fills his nostrils. From this vantage point, the farmer surveys his land. An unexplainable peace fills him - yes, a satisfaction , a fulfillment. The farmer is content. He has chosen to walk through life with integrity, to live by faith. He works hard to please and honor his God by the work of his hands. The fruit of his labor surrounds him and, in the quietness of the moment, he can hear his Father whisper, "Well done, my good and faithful servant, well done."

When it is all said and done, I want to be satisfied with the work of my hands. I want to know that I have pleased the Lord my God through my labor for Him.

Verse 5 reads, "For all people walk each in the name of his god, but WE will walk in the Name of the Lord our God forever and ever."

Can you hear the determination in Micah's voice here, as he speaks for Israel? He is saying that whether you know it or not, everyone walks in the name of something - some god, some priority, some driving force.

But Israel - the people of God - WE will walk in the Name of the Lord our God forever and ever.

And when it is all said and done, we will sit beneath the shade of the grape arbor, mesmerized by the beauty of our land and enjoy the Presence and pleasure of our God.

SELAH

Lord, how I love Your peace! How I long to please You, to honor You in my life. At the end, I want to be at peace knowing that I have not labored in vain. I want to know that I have embraced the tasks which You have given me and worked with all my might to accomplish them. You are my God, my King. I am so thankful for You. I glorify Your Holy Name!