Easter 2011, Part 4

Many of us will wake up on Sunday morning preparing to do our “normal” things. We will shower, brush our teeth and hair, make some coffee, put on our Sunday best, and headed out to face the world. But, what if this Sunday were different? What if we came to God’s house for the sole purpose of meeting Him face to face … instead of coming to see if we could be blessed?

God is calling out to you to spend time with Him; not to get wrapped up in our “stuff” that distracts us so often from day to day. This weekend as your church celebrates that Jesus has RISEN from the grave … have YOU come to celebrate? May God bless you on this incredible Lord’s day.

~ Bro TJ

Easter 2011 , Part 3

During this week's service (and most likely throughout most churches), we will discuss the passion our Lord and Savior endured to give us eternal life. It is important that we remember not only what Jesus has done, but what we must do in response to the suffering and death of the King of Kings. Today, would you be willing to examine your heart and ask the Lord what is in there that is not allowing Him to be first place? Would you be even braver to admit what that is and then lay it down at the cross? Jesus is calling us into a life of obedience with Him … not a life of convenience. What’s your response?

May God bless you during this incredibly Holy Week. ~ Bro TJ

Easter 2011 , Part 2

As we continue our exploration of Easter, this week we examine the triumphant entry of Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem to the shouts of the crowds crying, “Hosanna!” (which means “Save Us!”). Many times in our life, we cry out Hosanna when the going gets tough, and then when we are in the driver’s seat we are all too quick to let Jesus know that we can handle this, and ask Him to step aside.

As you go to worship this week, is it to discover that you need to cry “Hosanna!” more often? Or have you come to re-affirm that Jesus is only important when you need something? It is our responsibility to turn to Christ for everything, even the small things, and allow Him to guide our paths daily. I pray that as we draw closer to Easter that your resolve becomes more solidified that it is JESUS who we must turn our lives over too!

God bless you. ~ Bro TJ

Easter 2011 , Part 1

This week, our church began an in-depth examination of the Easter Season with a study of The Passover. When Jesus gathered His disciples to celebrate this critical event, they did not realize that this would be the final time they would eat with Him before the Cross.

I often wonder if I were in this same dining party, would I have taken advantage of spending every moment with Him, and gaining as much knowledge and information as we possibly could while He was with me?

As we gather in our respective churches over the next few weeks, are we entering His house to spend time with Him, or just to fill the square because it’s what we’ve always done? I pray that as you read this, you are preparing your heart to meet Him, and that it is the only reason that we gather … it is NOT to celebrate a passing over, but to REJOICE in a glorious remembrance that He has given to those who would follow Him.

God bless you. ~ Bro TJ

What a day that will be

This morning I was at our church's sunrise service and unintentionally, my mind continued to drift back to the the day Mary went to the tomb and realized that her Lord was no longer there. The bible records it this way:

"Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" - John 20:1-2

While we were sitting outside listening to our Pastor's words, the sun began to come up out of the East and I wondered what it was like on that day; to see the disciples faces in realization that He was truly not there, that He had risen! I don't think, to be perfectly honest, that my mind can really grasp what it means to express the joy I feel today; knowing that when I die although my family may be sad -- I will be face to face with my Lord and Savior and long to hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant". As I thought more this morning, I heard Bro Butch say "I'm not sure what happens in Heaven on Easter morning, but I'm sure it is way better than the preaching down here." I could not help but agree, knowing that sitting at the feet of my Lord and Savior cannot even compare to anything we might experience on this Earth. Think of it friends: To kneel before the Throne of Grace, to see the One who sits upon it because He has been given all authority by His Father .... wow, now THAT will be a good day at "church"!!

My heart cannot comprehend all that Jesus has done, and even now in my office I am watching "The Passion of the Christ" in preparation to worship this morning -- and I just cannot comprehend how much Jesus loved me that He would willingly lay down His life for me. It is the prayer of my heart that you too would know this love. It is my prayer that you too would admit that Jesus gave His life for you as well, and that everything we have been given to do on this Earth comes directly from Him through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It is the desire of our Father that "none should perish, but all should come to repentance" (see 2 Peter 3:9), and today could be the day for you to admit that you need a Savior. To admit that Jesus died for you, and gave His life so that you could one day live eternally with Him in Heaven. Won't you admit that today? Won't you take the time to turn to Christ, admit to Him that you need a Savior, thank Him for dying on the cross for you, and give your life to Him fully?

I promise if you do, from the trials and struggles to even the best church services you have ever attended will not even come close to that first day in Heaven, when you stand before the Lord and thank Him for all that He has brought you through. Oh what a GOOD day that will be, when my Jesus we shall see!!

God bless you my friends, it is truly a happy Easter because ...

HE HAS RISEN -- HE HAS RISEN INDEED!! Hallelujah!!