King of the Hill

Genesis 3:15

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Back in my day you could sit on the front porch on a Saturday morning and hear these words... "I'm King Of The Hill". Well, usually it was my brother yelling that while I was rolling down the hill. It was a game to see who could make it to the top of the hill first. But the game didn't stop there. If you made it first, this didn't mean an instant or forever victory. Many times as a child I was quick and would make it to the top first. Only to have my brother, who was much stronger than me, come to the top and throw me as far as he could off of the hill. I would get up and run back to the top and quickly find myself rolling back down. I can remember him standing there with his arms folded waiting on my attempt again and again. I never made it back to the top of the hill by myself. There were some glimpses of victory when multiple people would play and I could sneak to the backside, but as soon as he turned, well you know. 

The other day I was reading about the fall of creation, and it hit me. Ever since the beginning of creation there has been a race to the top of the hill. Satan tried for the hill and fell to earth and sought vengeance. As he saw Eve one day, the time had finally come. Eve reached for the fruit in lust and fell to sin... Adam disobeyed God and fell to sin and death... It had finally seemed that Satan had now made it back to the top of the hill. He had achieved his task of causing division between God and man. He also caused division between man and woman. It seemed like he was rolling them off the hill left and right. Laughing atop with his arms folded in victory. 

Later in our scriptures (John 18-19), it seems as if Satan had done it again!  He has God's very own Son bleeding and suffering from a beating at the hands of the strong Romans. He is kicking and spitting on him from the crowd of unbelievers. Satan has Jesus' sweat and blood pouring out upon the ground that God created. He is whipping him with the cords of a Roman soldier while he tracks up a hill called Calvary. After he falls down, a man picks up his cross and helps him finish the walk to death. Now he stands over him while the soldiers drive nails into is body. It seemed as if every time Jesus gathered his strength, Satan was there to throw him off the hill. As Jesus' life is fleeting, he calls out to the Father and says, "It Is Finished". Satan now laughs and cheers. Screams are heard from the flames of Hell and Satan stands there with arms folded in a sense of victory. 

But can I tell you again that the scriptures go on (John 20)... They teach us that Jesus was buried but rose again on the third day. Jesus didn't sneak back up the hill and catch Satan by surprise. He walked up the hill. He took the beating. He took the spitting. He took the mocking. He took the nails. It may have seemed like he was loosing ground, but He Never Did!  He took the pain and the death, but rose again the Victor!

This morning rejoice in the fact that Jesus... IS THE KING OF THE HILL CALLED CALVARY! Never will Satan overthrow Him! but there is something different about this King of the hill. He doesn't stand there with His arms folded in victory. No! They are stretched out in victory for you. Reaching to pull you up to himself. Thank you Jesus for being my King.  I love you. 

Dumb Ways to Die

John 8:24

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

My boys showed me an app game a few months ago. It's called, "Dumb Ways to Die". I really didn't know what to expect when they were showing it to me because of the title. But it's a simple game that teaches them to be safe around trains and to use common sense around dangerous things. Like using fire around your hair, putting a fork in a toaster, eating two day old unrefrigerated pies, pushing red buttons that you don't know what they are connected to, poking a grizzly bear with a stick, eat medicine that's out of date... the list goes on and on. 

Well this morning all I can think of is the dumbest way to die. It would be to die in your sins. Have you ever given any thought to what happens to you after death?  The Word of God is clear on this. 

Hebrews 9:27

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

I know you don't want to think of this, but if you died today, would you die in your sins or in the Lord?  Because those are actually the only two ways to die. Our scripture this morning says if we believe not that Jesus is Christ we will die still in our sins and spend an eternity separated from God in Hell. If we have trusted Jesus as our Savior, we will die in the Lord. 

Revelation 14:13

And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Apparently there are many dumb ways to die, but only one that could be damaging and damning for an eternity. It would be to die without Jesus while in your sins. Confess to Him right now. Trust upon Him for your salvation. Give your whole heart and life to Him this morning. 

The Next Day

John 1:29

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John the Baptist was baptizing people in the river if Jordan. He was the prophesied forerunner of Jesus. Which means he preached about preparing the way for the coming of Jesus. John was preaching and sharing about repentance. He told the people that they needed to make the crooked paths straight and prepare to meet God. I can see him now... Long robe, soaking wet from the many baptisms. Burly beard with stains of honey and locusts. Asking people to come to the truth and to accept the message. 

John begin to tell of the Messiah who would come after him. He told of how he would one day rule all nations. Imagine the days that came and went. Day after day, minute by minute people continue and hear that we need to get ready. 

Then in a day he least expected, here comes Jesus around the side of the mountain. John catches eyes with Jesus and says some of my favorite words throughout the whole Bible. "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world". 

Behold (look), the Lamb of God (Jesus), who takes away the sin of the world. But look at something else this morning. Look at where the scripture is this morning. 

So many days we talk about Jesus coming again. What of it was tomorrow?  I imagine it went something like this.,, while they were talking of the coming of Jesus, boom, here comes Jesus walking up. 

The Bible says it was the next day. Can you stop for a moment and imagine what it would be like if Jesus comes tomorrow.  What if you knew the rapture will take place tomorrow?  Would you live like it?  What if you knew that your life would end and Jesus would be standing ready for you and He was the first one that you see?  

You know what?  It could be tomorrow. It could be the next day, the next breath, the next blink or twinkling of an eye. Jesus is coming soon!

Easy Like Sunday Morning

2 Timothy 2:3

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Lionel Richie's breakup might have been easy, easy like a Sunday morning but being a Christian isn't. I have heard so many people say that the Christian life is so easy. They say that God handles everything, which is implying that He doesn't allow any difficulties to come your way. Preachers have reduced their messages of suffering for the cause of Christ, to never suffering because we are entitled. 

The Word of God reveals to us a different message. It tells us that hardness or hardships will come. It doesn't say IF the righteous are afflicted, it says many are the afflictions of the righteous (Psalms 34:19). It doesn't say that IF trouble comes, it says He is an ever present help in time of trouble (Psalms 46:1). Scripture tells us that suffering will happen as long as we are following Jesus. 

This mornings scripture tells us that we need to endure hardness. Enduring hardness does not account for righteousness before God. Salvation is by faith alone in Jesus Christ. Enduring the hard times and afflictions draws us to a closer relationship with Him. It teaches us to depend upon Jesus for our strength. Look at how the Word tells us that we should do this as a "good soldier" of Jesus. Soldiers suffer hard times and hardships. 

Do you think Sunday morning are easy?  Maybe that's where this phrase comes in to play with our churches. Many, many Christian churches today have abandoned their nightly or weekly services. Making it easy like Sunday morning. "It's difficult to be devoted to Sunday night Pastor"... "Wednesday? I work way too late, or I would rather watch my favorite shows"... Making Sunday morning easy!  

Well when we make Sunday mornings easy, what happens when things aren't easy? What about when difficulties come?  When the wind blows? If we forsake our studies, fellowship, discipleship, and prayer time we will be so weak. We are setting ourselves up for failure when we see things in God's army as, "Easy Like Sunday Mornings". Really and truly, Sunday's are easy compared to Monday when you don't feel like reading the Word. Or Tuesday, when you don't feel like praying. Or Wednesday, when you don't feel like going. Or Thursday, when you fight to stay above water all day. Or Friday, when everything has fallen apart. Or Saturday, when you have to work to make ends meet. The Christian life is not easy like a Sunday morning. It's difficult and Jesus tells us to endure hardness as a good soldier. 

God's Perfect Grace

2 Corinthians 12:9

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Have you ever felt that you couldn't take another step?  Maybe felt like you were running on fumes or even empty?  Have you ever felt that your strength was all gone? Well that is awesome! Because it's right where God desires us to be. 

This morning, Paul found himself at a place in his life where he was battling with something that bothered him very much. We really don't know what it is that was bothering him, but we do know that it was causing him to struggle. He said it was a thorn in the flesh given unto him to keep him from being proud. Some people believe that it could have been Paul's eye sight. Some lean toward the beatings he received that had battered his body. Either way it doesn't matter. The emphasis should never be put on the thorn, but on the reason and remedy. 

Prosperity preachers have a hard time dealing with this verse because God actually tells Paul "No". He will not remove the thorn. He wanted Paul to carry this suffering for a reason. The things we suffer in this world, because of Christ, are for our growth and for His glory. 

Although God did not remove the thorn, He gave a great remedy. He said, "My strength is made perfect in weakness". God tells him that when he feels like he's on fumes or even empty, that He would be his strength. How awesome! God tells us that HIS strength is made PERFECT in OUR weaknesses. 

Maybe this morning we should stop and thank Him for His strength in our weakness. We should rather glory in our infirmities (physical or mental weakness) so that God's glory could rest upon our humble lives. I would rather live with the power of Christ upon my life than to own the oceans and all the land. 

Thank you Jesus for being my strength when I have none. Thank you for filling my tank when I am way below the "E" mark. Thank you Jesus for humbling me. And thank you most of all for telling me "No" when you are working things for my good. I love you so much.  

Learning from the Scars

Philippians 1:12

But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

When we fall down, how quick are we to get up and shake it off without anyone noticing?  You know what I'm talking about?  You are walking out in the yard, all alone, and your foot slips into a hole or trip on a rock. You jump back onto your feet as quick as possible, and scan the area to see if anyone saw you. It could be that you cut your flesh or had a surgery before that has left a scar. Now you spend so much time trying to cover up the scar. For some reason we don't want people to know that we have fallen or that we have scars.  

The Word of God tells us about Paul and the things he suffered for the Gospel. But God wants us to understand that the things he went through were to strengthen him. Many of us would just see the persecution he went through as a strengthener, but what about the life he lived even before Christ?  Sin can scar your mind and body. I have scars in my mind and upon my body because of the sin before and after I gave my life to Jesus. I am forgiven of all sin I committed, but I still bear the scars and effects from those sins. But like Paul, understand that I don't dwell on if because God has forgiven me of them, I confess every fall, and every persecution for the furtherance of the Gospel. 

Why do we hide our scars? Why do we hide our sins?  The Bible tells us that, "Blessed is the man who confesses his sins". We have spent countless hours on covering our scars from sin, when the world needs to see that we have fallen, that ALL have fallen. Don't misunderstand me...we should not wear our scars as badges of honor, but as an opportunity to share what Jesus has saved us from. Too many want to sit and brag on the life they lived without Jesus, and that isn't the Gospel. We were cut, bruised, battered and scarred up from sin, but they are healed by Jesus. 

You know why we have healing from our wounds of sin? Because Jesus died on the cross. He bears the scars today because of sin, and the greatest thing is... He never sinned. It was our sin. It is our sin that He has forgiven and healed us from. 

Share what Jesus has done for you today with someone. Reveal the scars from falling with humility. Sharing the Gospel is what we are called to do, but don't ever forget that we must SHOW the Gospel. (Not as hero wounds, but as humility and through the message of Jesus)

Face to Face

Galatians 2:11
But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

Paul was facing a difficult situation in his ministry. He was up against the wall about something and he didn't even put himself there. Another brother in the ministry placed him there. Paul was preaching the grace of Jesus and how all are the same in the eyes of God. But Peter was doing something wrong. He was showing a difference between Gentile and Jew.

Imagine Paul and his dilemma. He was a newly saved Christian that was commissioned by Christ to preach the Gospel. Peter was a long follower of Jesus and an eyewitness to many miracles by the very hands of Christ. He was the one who had the keys to the message of Jesus and was in the wrong about something. First of all we should understand that no one is perfect. No one gets everything right all the time. We all are guilty at times of allowing the flesh to corrupt our walk or even our decisions.

Let's take note of how Paul went about this. Paul was now faced with trying to right the wrong of Peter. When Peter came to Antioch, Paul meet him face to face. Too often we want others to do these things. People so easily find fault with the walk of others but are not willing to meet them face to face about their walk. Paul didn't meet him with pride, because he would have also fallen into the same thing. Paul knew that he wasn't perfect either in saying "not as though I have attained..." Paul was also guilty of letting his flesh get in the way of a few desicions he made in life.

When helping a brother or sister in their walk, please make sure your walk is right. When helping them to come to the understanding of their faults, always remember our faults. When righting the wrong of another, make sure you're right and most of all humble. Last of all, do it face to face and not through another brother or sister.