It's All About Jesus

Just as the entire Bible centers on Jesus, so should our lives be totally centered on Jesus.

In the Old Testament, we see foreshadowing of the coming Messiah not only in prophecies, but also in events. We even see Christ in the tabernacle, the altar and even in things we would not even suspect.

In Numbers 21, Israel had sinned against God with all their grumbling and complaining. God sent fiery serpents that came into the camp and anyone that was bitten would die. It appears that these snakes were not only deadly, but extremely painful also. The people of Israel cried to Moses and Moses cried to God. God tells Moses to make a serpent and put it on a stick. Anyone who got bit could look at the brass serpent and live. Now, honestly, what kind of sense did that make? It's like someone telling you to make a brass cobra and if you get bit by a cobra, look at it and you'll be OK. This difference is that God said! What God says, He means. All Israel understood was if they looked at the snake, they lived. They had no idea that God was showing a picture of His ultimate plan of salvation. Jesus says to Nicodemus in John 3:14,15, "14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." When Jesus died on the cross, though, we learned the truth that Paul proclaimed in 2 Corinthians 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Jesus took all our sins to the cross. As the Israelites looked at the snake when they were bit, we look to the sacrifice of Jesus to have our sin cleansed. We look at Jesus and we live.

Jonah was swallowed by a whale when he refused to go to Ninevah. He was in the belly of the whale for three days and was spit out on the beach. Jesus referred to this incident when He said in Matthew 12:40, "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." He referred to the "sign of Jonas (Jonah) the prophet" several times in His ministry. It foreshadowed the three days that Jesus would be in the tomb, the three days between the death of Jesus and His resurrection.Moses, in the wilderness, was instructed to get water out of a rock for the thirsty band of people following him. There were two different incidents, at two different places. The first, Exodus 17:6 was in Horeb, where Moses was told to strike the rock and water would come out. The second, Numbers 20:1-12, Moses was told to speak to the rock and it would bring forth water. Moses struck the rock twice and was punished severely for his unbelief. Why was it so important that Moses speak to the rock? Because everything centers on Jesus. We are told by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:4 that the rock that followed them was Christ. Christ only had to be "smitten" once. After that, we simply speak to Him, coming in faith, knowing that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who died, is risen and is seated at the right hand of God Almighty.

I've just mentioned a few. In my library are several books on prophecy. Many of these are devoted to the prophecies contained in just one book of the Bible. One book is devoted to prophecies in Isaiah, another the prophecies in Psalms, yet another is devoted to the prophecies in Ezekiel, another, the book of Daniel. The Old Testament has an incredible number of these 'fore-shadows' of Jesus and prophecies concerning Jesus. One of the really incredible prophecies is in the book of Isaiah, Chapter 53. It contains minute details about the sufferings of Christ, His death and His burial. It was written over 700 years before Jesus was born. 

Why so much detail? Why foretell this hundreds of years in advance. Did I say hundreds? How about thousands of years in advance? The first prophecy concerning this Jesus was in the Garden of Eden, when God said that the seed of Adam would bruise the serpents head. Why hundreds of prophecies concerning this coming King? Because this Jesus would be the Christ, the Messiah, the one Who would pay the price for all the sins of the world. He would be the only way to come to God because he is the one who paid the price that had to be paid. Jesus said, "I am the way way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, but through me." in John 14:6

God knew man couldn't save himself. He sent Jesus. Jesus paid the price for you and me and made getting saved as simple as 123. 1) You confess to God that you are a sinner and unable to save yourself. Romans 3:23 & 6:23 2) Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead. Romans 10:9,10 3) Call upon the Name of Jesus. Romans 10:13. If you haven't met Jesus yet, pray with me! Too simple??? What do you have to lose? Try it!!!

Jesus, I'm a sinner and I need you. Forgive me for sinning against others and You. Thank you for dying for my sins and paying the price for me. Thank you for rising from the dead and conquering death. Save me, Lord Jesus. Come into my heart and make me a new creature in You. Amen.

Scripture says in Romans 10:9 that if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, you shall be saved. What Jesus has done for us is nothing less than awesome.

YES, it's all about Jesus!


Saved?  Now What?

If you have just received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have received the greatest gift ever given. Jesus paid the price to redeem your soul. No doubt, you felt a great weight lifted off your shoulders and you have a peace that you didn't have before. It's a peace you don't understand. It is a peace that set you free. As the Bible says in Phillipians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." It is a peace that passes ALL understanding!

What Jesus has given you, he had to pay for with an awesome price. All He asks in return is a big "thank you". He wants you to receive what He paid for..

Years ago, a very close friend of mine was blessed with a vision. This man was totally on fire for God. As he was praying, one evening, he prayed, "Oh Jesus, show me what You did for me. I want to fully understand and know what you did." He briefly saw the face of Jesus, as He hung on the Cross. The sight put my friend in the state of shock for 3 days. No one knew how to reach him and he couldn't respond to anyone. He was in a daze.

His family and friends waited it out. He didn't tell anyone about what happened for years. Even so, when he did share the vision he saw, each one who was there said, "We were afraid the drugs you did before Jesus may have tripped out your mind. But we knew something special was going on. We just didn't know what." 

When he saw this vision, he remembers crying out, "Oh my God, no! Not for me! I'm not worth it." He says that Jesus immediately answered him and said, "I thought you were."

He has never lost sight of this fact, nor have I. The fact that Jesus thought YOU were worth it when they jammed those thorns onto His Head and Blood poured down His face. Jesus thought YOU were worth it when they whipped Him and tore the flesh off His back. Jesus thought YOU were worth it when they slapped Him, punched Him and made fun of Him. Jesus thought YOU were worth it when they pulled handfuls of beard out of His face, leaving patches of raw meat. Jesus thought YOU were worth it when they pounded those nails into His flesh. Jesus thought YOU were worth it when He hung there on that cross and they gave Him sour wine and gall to drink. Jesus thought YOU were worth it when He said, "It is finished!"

Jesus thought YOU were worth the price so you could stand, the righteousness of God, having the same Spirit He had in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He cried, "Abba, Father... " Abba means Daddy. Your Daddy is God Almighty because Jesus thought YOU were worth it.

I encourage you to start reading of this awesome love of Jesus in the Book of John. Meditate on His love and let the understanding of it become deeply seated in your soul and in your heart. Then read Luke. Watch was Jesus did, see how Jesus prayed and do likewise. Then start with the book of Matthew and read through the New Testament asking God's Spirit to guide you into all Truth and open the eyes of your understanding. Don't stop there! Read it again. Each time you read, ask God to reveal His Word to you. God will show you new things and give you new understanding.

PRAY! Remember that the closer you draw to God, the closer He will draw to you. The more you pray the more you will realize that you are not walking alone. While you pray, remember that prayer is a conversation and listen. God isn't partial to speeches. He likes to be part of the conversation, too.   

WORSHIP!!! Praise the God of all creation. Sometimes people hold back on singing because they weren't blessed with a great voice. SO WHAT! The Word of God says to make a joyful noise before the Lord. Remember that God inhabits the praise of His people. It's a done deal. The more you praise God, the more you will feel His presence. He WANTS to bless you!


Who Is This Jesus? 

Jesus is the Son of the Living God. He is the One who said, "I'll go.", when God, the Father, was looking for a way to forgive His creation. He is the one who paid for your life.

Ephesians 1:15-23: “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”

When I was a boy of 16, I left home. From Chicago, a couple of friends and I went to Memphis. From Memphis, we hitchhiked to Panama City, Florida. There, being hungry, I started looking for work and found a job on a commercial fishing boat.

We were on an eighty-foot schooner, the `Peggy G', in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico and a hurricane was coming in. The Peggy G was built in the 1800's and it leaked like a sieve. We had to pump the water out every morning. Years later, I found Henry (the captain) and his main remark about that time was, "Yeah, we were young and stupid." Granted the grace of God was with us, even though it was years (eight years to be exact) before I even thought about Jesus, let alone give my life to Him. Still, I think back on that situation and am given some important revelation.

Henry and I were the only ones who were on deck. Everyone else held up in the bow of the boat, with the hatch batten down. Henry and I tied everything down as the storm was approaching. There were two things that stick out in my mind, the captain and the anchor. First, the captain knew where to point the boat. Second, even with the storm, the anchor held us stable. Yes, we rocked and rolled. Yes, everything in the galley slide from one side of the table to the other. Yes, it was a rough ride. Nonetheless, we were safe in the storm because the anchor held and the captain pointed the boat in the right direction. I trusted that man with my life because he knew what he was doing. We weathered the storm and the eight man crew made it safely back to shore. That was in my physical life.

Spiritually, we need the same thing to weather the storms of life. Our anchor is open eyes and understanding, knowing the hope of His calling, the riches of His glory, the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe. Our anchor is a full fledged faith in the God Who called us. Our anchor is as solid as our understanding of God's love in Christ Jesus. Our anchor is as strong as the relationship we have with the Captain, Jesus. Can we trust this Captain with our lives? I think so!

Just as I couldn't see the actual force of the storms' stress on the Peggy G, we often don't know or see the immensity of the forces that come against our spiritual lives. Just as I couldn't see the anchor and exactly what it was doing, often our hope and firmly rooted faith in God holds fast, even when we feel like giving up and sinking. But, just as Henry knew exactly how to steer the Peggy G and exactly what to do to bring her home, Jesus knows exactly how to steer our lives and how to bring us safely in to port. Can we trust Him??? Resoundingly, YES!!! Let us quit trying to "do it our way" and let Jesus be the captain of the boat of our lives. Let's get on deck with the Captain. We can trust Him with our lives. He knows what He is doing!!!

Jesus IS the Captain of our souls. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is the very Author of our faith. He is our restoration. He is our Peace. He is our Advocate. He is the very Lamb of God. We don't have to hide below the deck. We can stand, boldly, on the deck of life! This boat ain't going down because our Captain knows exactly what He is doing and we have, as our anchor, a living faith and hope in the Living God.


Why Trust the Bible?

Can we really trust a book that is thousands of years old?

The Bible claims great things about itself. It claims to be the inspired Word of God. It actually claims to be the words of God, Himself. 2 Peter 1:20, 21 says, "20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." That's a pretty bold statement.

The Bible, itself, claims to the answer for virtually anything. It not only claims to be inspired by God, Himself, it even claims to give us what we need to be perfect. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, "16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." That's a pretty incredible claim! After all, I can sit in a garage all day and claim to be an automobile. That won't make it true. I can stand in the woods, hold my arms out and claim to be a tree. My claim won't make it true. The Bible, makes claims that ARE true. These claims are backed by God, Himself.

Bible believing archaeologists have used the Bible to find lost cities. Isaiah, in Isaiah 40:22, states that the earth was round by calling it the "circle of the earth". This was around 700 years before Jesus was born on earth.  The intricacies of the dietary laws are being confirmed in recent scientific discoveries.  Job, who lived before Moses, talked about the earth being round and the stars hanging on nothing.  Why should we be surprised.  The Author is the Creator.   Science is just now catching up to the Bible in many other areas.

One rather cute development is the interpretation of the Exodus. Science explains that the Bible was actually mis-translated when it said the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. They say it was really the Reed Sea, which is only a couple of inches deep and a wind came along and moved the water back for Israel. If it were true it would be incredible that all of Pharoah's army drowned in a couple of inches of water, while the Israelites passed over on dry ground. (Science doesn't explain the dry ground part.) BUT, science is based on man's understanding. So-called science doesn't even require fact. Some scientists, believers in the Bible, dropped an underwater camera into the Red Sea to see what was on the bottom. They took and brought back pictures of something incredible. At the bottom of the Red Sea, they found charriot wheels and bones of horses and men, preserved for thousands of years, just waiting to be found.

We have more ancient parchments of the Bible than any other document in history. . . . and they all agree. The possibility of this agreement happening is one in millions. The possibility of all of these documents agreeing with each other has been compared to the possibility of throwing the pieces of a swiss clock into the air and expecting them all to fall into place and make a working clock. Even apparent contradictions, explained away by well meaning Christians, have turned out to be true after all. Impossible!!! Unless . . . the Bible really is the Word of God.

Most importantly, though, is the fact that where ever people believe the Bible is the Word of God and take it to mean exactly what it says, miracles start happening. When people come to God, believing that He is, He comes to them proving that He is everything He said he is. Without faith, we can't please Him, but WITH Faith, He meets us right where we are. With faith, He is ready to walk with us. With faith, we find that the Almighty God of all the universe is just waiting for someone to believe what He says. When God finds faith, we find that He is ready to back up what He says. We find that His Word really is His bond!

The Bible has proven, historically, to be the most trustworthy Book in print.


The War

The Apostle John states clearly the purpose of his Gospel in John 20:31, "These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in His Name."

There is only one person who would like to stop you from being the person God made you to be. His name is Satan. He wants to dethrone God and be God. He is not real happy now that you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, proclaiming God Almighty is who He said He is. He knows he is already defeated. Satan was defeated when Jesus said, "It is finished!" When Jesus rose from the dead, he conquered death itself. Right now, Jesus is at the right hand of God saying that He paid for you. All we have to do is say, "Yes!" Still, Satan wants to fight and is our enemy.

This enemy, Satan, is right there, wanting to steal your peace and your joy. He wants to stop you from receiving what God has already given you. Any veteran, any 1 percenter, even any father understands the principal of guarding and fighting for your turf. A good husbands tendency is to protect his wife and children. Even peace loving men will put up a fight to protect those he loves. Even peace loving women will become warriors when you start messing with her kids. You are in a very different army now. 

Ephesians 6:12 says "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." We are at war brothers and sisters, but listen to what the Word of God says about that war in Romans 8:38, 39. "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

How shall we fight a war and not lose our peace? How can we fight and live in the Love of God? The armor of God has all the equipment we need for the battle. In Ephesians 6:11, we are told to "put on the whole armor of God, so that you can stand against the devil's schemes." Read Ephesians 6:13-17 carefully and prayerfully. It says again to "put on the full armor of God" and then describes each piece of your armor. Each piece of the armor of God is important. The last piece is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. As God was calling me back into the thick of the battle, He spoke to me. As He was pulling me back into ministry, I can't forget what He said to me. "Remember I am with you. Sharpen your Sword." Let's put on our spiritual armor and sharpen our Swords.

Again, according to Ephesians 6:17, that Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Learn what it says! Study it! The Bible gives us a lot of direction on where to go from here. So much, in fact, that it will last a lifetime. It's mind boggling, but never boring.


Got A Home Church?  Get One!

Many have rebelled against the church, sometimes with good reason. Nonetheless, according to God's Word, God, Himself, has appointed individuals to help you grow and become the man or woman of God that He saw in you before you ever received Jesus. It is important that you find a home Church. It will be a place of refreshing for you.

Ephesians 4:11-16 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."

Personally, I have been a Christian for 29 years. Anointed and sent forth, I've ministered the Word of God in one form or another ever since. For several years my wife and I were involved in Children's Church. Much of my Christian ministry has been on the road, ministering in various churches and settings, interdenominationally. Still, my home church was an integral part of my Christian life. The thoughts of "changing churches" wasn't an issue. When we moved to a new area, we would pray, go where God led us to go and that church would be our home. 

Still, there was a period of time when I just got worn out. We had move to Arkansas and went to a non-denominational church. Everything was great for a couple of years. Then, our church went through some "religious garbage" and split, finally, the pastor left and the church folded. Not being a "church shopper" or "church hopper", I didn't look for another church. Not having a church home, I had no home base, if you will. Spiritual input was prayer, Bible readings, Christian friends and TV programs that I watch. Gradually, though, I became depleted and stepped away from any positions of ministry for a few years.  

You can call it a rest, if you like, but I got tired because I didn't have a home base. God has ordained the church to be a part of our lives. There is interaction and ministering that occurs in your home church that is integral to our growth.  Those few years that I didn't have a home body weren't totally wasted, but I couldn't be the man of God that I was called to be. Although I was getting spiritual food, part of the spiritual food groups was missing. Just as the body has food groups that are necessary for a healthy body, the spirit has food groups that are necessary for its health. I had the spiritual food groups, "Holy Spirit", "fellowship", "prayer", "Bible" and even "teaching", but I was missing the food group "home church". It's kind of like a kid not eating any vegetables. 

God has called me back into ministering the Word of God where ever I can. Knowing what it is like to be played out, I place a very high value on my home church. It is my home base. Even when I'm on the road, it is where I have people praying for me. It is where I can come and receive, as I listen to the Word of God preached. Sometimes it is a place of confirmation, as I hear the pastor preach the same thing God had put on my heart. (I love it when God ministers to two or more the same teachings or revelations. It is evidence that God's Spirit is moving His people in unity.)  My home church is the place God has put me to feed and/or to be fed. It is the place that I am edified, or built up. It is a place where I build up and edify others. I look forward to my times of refreshing.

You are encouraged to find a church that you can worship in. If you would like, we will search your area and recommend some. In any case, it is important to have a sound, Bible based home church.