HE IS HERE

What more do we want? What does our deepest desire really reflect? Have we overlooked the most awesome reality of everyday living? How easy we take this awesome truth for granted-like we take a breath of air for granted. He is here, now, the living Christ is within the heart of the believer and about him/her at all times and in all places. He has overcome this pain filled world and grants us peace, joy, hope, life for the journey of life. Because of His presence, here and now, the Christian has a distinct advantage over those who choose not to believe. Christ, the Good Shepherd, leads us each step of the way. He gives strength for the journey and enables us to discern and discover the eternal significance of each day. Let's practice the presence of the living Christ. The early church moved forward with a holy boldness that reflected their knowledge of His presence. They were confident and courageous in the middle of a hostile and difficult environment. His presence didn't make life easy for them, it brought purpose to their every day living. Christ lives and wants to live out his holy life through us. He wants to live His love through us, show His compassion and mercy through us and enable us to be light and salt. This is all possible because HE IS HERE! Let not your heart be troubled, I have overcome this world, I am with you to the end of the journey, my grace is sufficient for you-REJOICE! Christ lives. Let's believe it and live like it. For His glory. HE IS HERE!

He Lives

In John 11, Mary and Martha both make the typical human statement when something beyond our control takes place and we wish God had intervened to change the picture. "Lord if you had been here..." Later in the chapter those who were mockers of Christ used the same type of statement...He did this, why didn't He do that?! If we could only get God to behave like we wanted, when we wanted, with the outcomes we wanted. The resurrection of Jesus Christ does not nullify our desire for God to act like we want, but nullifies the need for it. God has acted on behalf of mankind in the most powerful and explicit manner. He sent the Son, gave the Son up to be crucified and brought Him out of the grave and back to His right hand. Let us not fear, doubt, complain or refuse to be grateful. Let us learn to live knowing that Jesus is with us now! Even when our Lazarus dies, even when the tribulations of this world seem overwhelming (Jn.16:33), Jesus Christ is here. If you had been here...is to be replaced with, "HE IS HERE-ALWAYS...even unto the end." Being with us does not negate the painfull realities of everyday life. His presence, practiced and embraced with a grateful and humble heart, brings peace and joy to the journey. Trouble? Yes! His Presence? Yes! Hallelujah-Christ lives!

The Lamb

John the Baptist broke 400 years of God's prophetic silence with the declaration, 'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)." Wow! Really?! The Lamb of God. The lamb was a familiar image to the Jewish mind and the sacrificial system. A lamb was one of the choice animals for sacrifice. Every day in the temple a morning and evening sacrifice was made, usually utilizing a lamb. Those lambs were a reminder of sin, incapable of cleansing the human heart from sin. This Lamb, deals radically with the sin of the world. Rebellion, unbelief, carnal selfishness are no match for the blood of this Lamb. John baptised with water, but the Lamb baptizes with the Holy Spirit. One baptism reminding man of his sinfulness, the new baptism transforming the human heart. This Spirit baptism is possible because the Lamb was slain. Christ became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. The promise of Ezekial 36, the promise of the new covenant involved a new heart! Our heart can be purified from the world's sin!. We can love God with all our heart! Our will can be in harmony with the Father's. We can know an intimacy, a fellowship, a closeness, as a branch abiding in the Vine. The world's sin put the Lamb on the cross. The Father's work through the Son's life and death, put the Lamb on the throne of the universe. Let's 'look' to the Lamb. Let's fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith with the expectation and faith that He is able to do something about the 'world's sin' in each of us...today is the day of salvation! As we begin this passion week, open your heart to the Spirit's baptism. The cleansing power of the blood of the Lamb is mankinds only hope.

Jesus The True Vine

The branch that abides in the Vine is submitting to the Vine, cooperating with the Vine, alive only because of the Vine. It is the Vine's life in us, empowering, sanctifying, healing, cleansing, liberating and enlarging. The branch has nothing in itself, there is no power, no life to do anything. As Jesus said, it is good for nothing except to be burned. Kingdom living, abiding in the Vine, is purpose filled living. The great needs of the human heart are fully met when we abide in the True Vine. When we discover that 'apart from Jesus we can do nothing' we find the doorway to liberty and fulfillment. Our dependence upon the Vine becomes our freedom and fruitfulness. Destitution becomes the doorway to blessing. There is great blessing in abiding in the Vine. The shalom of God becomes the environment within us. We live to bear fruit and bring glory to His name. The focus and attention is upon the Vine. We abandon our self righteous efforts and any attempt to bear fruit on our own. In John 15 Jesus defines multiple blessings that are a result of His life in us. Focus on the Vine and give attention to abiding in Him. Practice His presence!

True Vine

Exhaustion, burn out, a general weariness with life and its pace seems to be a diagnosis of many in our world today. Where do you get your juice from? What is your life source? Where do you find refreshment in the middle of the daily race? Part of our problem is our lack of focus on the spiritual side of life. We spend the majority of time and energy, give most of our attention to the physical and material demands. Nothing in the physical and material world has the capacity to bring lasting renewal to our person. The promise of Isaiah is 'they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.' The spiritual side of life, which is really the foundation and heart of all of life, needs our attention. In John 15 Jesus paints a beautiful picture of the Christ centered life. He is the True Vine, the source for life and we have the privilege of being a branch. His invitation to us is , 'abide/remain in Me.' The eternal, Divine life flows from the True Vine into His branches. Christ's presence, His life in us is the source for renewal, refreshment and bearing fruit. Apart from Him, we can do nothing, except exhaust ourselves chasing life. I must learn to practice His presence, to cultivate this fellowship. As I focus my heart upon Jesus Christ, I find the Source that is sufficient, consistent and generous. In Christ is Life (John 1:4).

Jesus The Gate

Growing up in rural Ohio, farming was everywhere. Because of the presence of livestock, gates were everywhere. Fields were marked by fences and gates. Opening and closing gates was important to keep everything where it needed to be. In John 10 Jesus identifies himself as the "Gate." It seems a crude picture for Someone so full of grace and mercy. Yet it is a powerful picture. A gate gives us access to something, provides a way through a barrier, and controls who has access to something or someplace. Jesus is the gate to eternal life. There are not a bunch of gates, there is One Gate that gives access to the Father in heaven and eternal life. Jesus Christ is mankind's hope. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. As Jesus states, all others are thieves and robbers. Their intention is selfish, greedy. Christ's intent is to give the sheep access to life. His intent is to provide safe pasture for His sheep. Previous to this story, a blind man, a nobody in Jesus' culture walked through the gate of faith and began to see life as never before. The Pharisees refused to go through the gate and find that life, remaining blind in their arrogance and sin. Jesus the Gate gives us access to eternal life, to the heart of the Father. He provides the way through the barrier of sin, guilt, condemnation and shame. The Father in heaven has opened the gate wide. He stands at the gate inviting-whosoever will may come. There will come a day when the gate will be shut. Until then, 'today is the day of salvation'.

Christ Is

The Olympics are a great celebration of the strength and ability of man. I'm in awe of what these highly trained athletes are capable of. My fear factor is too high to even attempt what they do on a daily basis. They are to be celebrated and applauded for their effort and excellence. When Jesus walked the earth He never compared himself to another man, but came as the revelation of the true and living God. The "I AM" statements found in John's Gospel, reveal the greatness of His person. They set Him apart from all others who ever made any claim to deity, perfection, strength, or wisdom. He stands alone in the chronicles of history as the One who is the "I AM." Bread of Life, Light of the World, True Vine-bold statements coming from the Nazarene from Galilee. All statements that touch the need within the heart of man. Jesus came not for himself to win an award, or gain the applause of man, He came for the lost, dark, sinful world. He didn't compete to gain something for himself, He was the one 'sent' from the Father full of grace and truth. He competed with the forces of darkness to open the door to abundant life. He came to give the woman at the well living water. While on earth he was in constant conflict with political and religious forces that had lost the heart of God. He wrestled against the principalities and powers of darkness and in the ultimate moment of competition and conflict, He prevailed by declaring 'It Is Finished." Satan's world laughed, it appeared that darkness had won, but the competition wasn't over and Christ IS King of kings and Lord of lords today. Christ IS our champion. The Author and Finisher of our faith. Let us celebrate His victory for us-Light has triumphed over darkness. There is hope for whosoever will...Come to me...believe on me....Jesus