Good Friday ... The day Jesus walked through sin!

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t is Good Friday! Good Friday is the Friday of Holy Week, commemorating the crucifixion, suffering, and death of Jesus. We call it good, because God is so good in offering His own life as redemption for our debt of sin.

John 20:19-20 where the Apostle John records an encounter with the Risen Jesus. He writes: “On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.”

My friends, Isn’t it wonderful to know that Jesus walks through the doors of our lives and says, “Peace be with you.” Even when we try to lock him out in fear or grief or shame, … he doesn’t get angry, but responds with Peace. What do you lock away from Jesus? Remember, the risen Jesus is not angry with you. He loves you and offers you peace.

Happy Easter ... You know I love ya, Don

When Jesus enters He brings healing!

When Jesus enters He brings healing … Here Comes Jesus!… turning over the tables.

Matthew 21:14 “The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.”

Preacher/author Tony Campolo tells a story about being in a church in Oregon where he was asked to pray for a man who had cancer. Campolo prayed boldly for the man’s healing. That next week he got a telephone call from the man’s wife. She said, "You prayed for my husband. He had cancer."

Campolo thought when he heard her use the past tense verb that his cancer had been eradicated! But before he could think much about it she said, "He died." Compolo felt terrible. But she continued, "Don’t feel bad. When he came into that church that Sunday he was filled with anger. He knew he was going to be dead in a short period of time, and he hated God.”

She said, “He was 58 years old, and he wanted to see his children and grandchildren grow up. He was angry that this all-powerful God didn’t take away his sickness and heal him. He would lie in bed and curse God. The more his anger grew towards God, the more miserable he was to everybody around him. It was an awful thing to be in his presence.”

But the lady told Compolo, "After you prayed for him, Jesus came and gave him peace.  Peace had come over him and a joy had come into him. Tony, the last three days have been the best days of our lives. We’ve sung. We’ve laughed. We’ve read Scripture. We prayed. Oh, they’ve been wonderful days. And I called to thank you for laying your hands on him and praying for healing."

And then she said something incredibly profound. She said, "He wasn’t cured, but he was healed."

While Jesus may not heal certain physical infirmities that we have, He does want to bring healing to our spirits. I’m not saying that Jesus can’t bring physical healing, it’s just that we don’t see that happening all the time. And hopefully, all of us know that our ultimate healing will come in heaven.

Romans 5:6 states: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” You and I are ungodly without Jesus and His healing.  

Here Comes Jesus!… turning over the tables.

You know I love ya, Don

Peace in our fear!

            Matthew 14:26, “When the disciples saw him waling on the Lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” They said, and cried out in fear.” Just as they crumble… Here Comes Jesus!… walking on the water

Emotional storms within us can be as hard to handle as external physical ones. Grief, fear, and worry can cause us to be in great turmoil. To see us through the rough times of life, God provides His protection and peace. But protection does not mean that troubles won’t occur. Jesus allowed the disciples to experience the fear and anxiety of being in a boat on a turbulent sea. He permitted them to suffer because He has something far more important in mend He wanted to teach them to recognize their own helplessness, His sufficiency, and their need of Him. The same principle applies to us as well.

The peace that God provides is not dependent upon the quieting of our circumstances or the removal of external pressures. Nor does it mean the absence of conflict. The promised peace comes in three ways.

-       First, Jesus Himself becomes our peace. Through His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus has reconciled (that is to make us friends again) with God. We are no longer enemies with God. In God we can rest.

-       Second, When in right relationship with the Father, we have the ability to live at peace with others. Through God, we have the power to choose to forgive, to keep no record of wrongs, and to show love to people who oppose us.

-       Third, the transforming work of the Holy Spirit enables us to experience an increasing sense of inner tranquility.

So, in our fear … Here Comes Jesus!… walking on the water! You know I love ya, Don

Those who come in the name of the Lord find PEACE!

Luke records the crowd shouting these words as Jesus enters Jerusalem, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” to which we are also blessed with. The crowds were shouting what the angels announced at His birth, “Glory to God in the highest and Peace to men of Good will.”

Jesus Christ is the author of peace, the Prince of Peace. In this learning laboratory of mortality, we find that peace comes as we put Him first in our lives. We come to know that He lives, that Christ truly paid the price of our sins, our poor vision, our weaknesses, by suffering personally for each one of them, and that He has become our Advocate with the Father through Christ’s atoning sacrifice, to enable us, lift us, save us, and redeem us. He alone can bring peace to us through the gift of His Spirit.

The Savior’s words found in John 14:27 are literal and are for you and I: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you;  I do not give to you as the world gives, Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”

Jesus Christ wants us to have rest and as we feel His love, we do feel guided along the “still waters.” We can feel this even in the torrent of trial and the slashing winds of stormy seas at various times in our lives. When we think God has turned His back on us, wonder how or why He could allow a certain innocent suffering or emotional pain, we can find out that He is always facing us. He never turns away. He never abandons us; He never causes harm or injury, but He sometimes allows evil that others do to run its course, that the wicked may be judged and because no one can be forced to be His follower and friend. Those who willfully inflict evil will suffer at the end of the age.

Yet the peace is only found in the Name of the Lord. Who is the Son of God? He is the Coming and Returning King. We can be blessed, tell others, and receive peace in the Name of the Lord. Those who come in the name of Jesus are convinced that there is Strength In the Name Of The Lord, that there is Power in the Name Of The Lord, and for tomorrow there is Hope In The Name Of The Lord. Yes, Jesus followers are blessed because they come in the Name Of The Lord, they desire to tell others of His Name and they live in peace for today and the hope of a great destiny.

Who is Jesus? He is the Son of Man, Friend to Sinners, Anointed One, the Coming King, and He is the King that will return. 

You are prepared to welcome him in your heart today? You know I love ya, Don

Peace is in the new friendships that last an eternity.

Reconciliation is a big church word that means to “make friendly again.”

In some languages, however, reconciliation is often spoken of in idiomatic terms, for example, ‘to cause to become friends again,’ ‘to cause to snap fingers again’ (a symbol of friendly interpersonal relations in many parts of Africa), ‘to cause to be one again,’ or ‘to take away the separation.’ A particularly crucial element in terms for reconciliation is the assigning of responsibility for original guilt in causing the estrangement.

John 15:13-17 states;  

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”

General McArthur said, "A truce just says you don't shoot for awhile. Peace comes when the truth is known, the issue is settled, and the parties embrace each other."
 

Peacemakers don't just try to stop conflict. They're doing something far more meaningful, something healing and restoring. They try to bring about reconciliation and relationship, even if it means going through the conflict.

The cross was the greatest act of violence and conflict possible. In fact, much of Jesus ministry involved conflict and confrontation. He wasn't afraid of it because he was committed in love to working through that if need be to bring reconciliation.

Peacemakers don't try to stop conflict, but they work for reconciliation. God knew that we are not able to bring friendship and a renewed relationship with our creator. Jesus stepped into history and made a change on our behalf.

Paul says in Romans that we are not only friends, but we can boast in our relationship with God. … “but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”We celebrate and boast in Jesus because Jesus is also in us. I know I can face tomorrow because Jesus lives and is working in every piece of my life.

We boast in that we have Jesus as a friend on our behalf. He is interceding for us everyday and supporting believers through the guidance of Holy Spirit.

God bless you... You know I love ya, Don 

Planted Word!

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” - James 1:21

We have a garden in the backyard. Karen, Matthew, Alice, and I have made it our project this summer. We have green beans, corn, squash, tomatoes, pumpkins, and egg plant growing. The children are loving how we watch it grow and mature. We have been able to pick beans already. The three of us pick the beans and Alice says, "Lets go and give these to Mama."

We have had to work hard at keeping the weeds out of the patch. The wind has blown in leaves and papers at times. Then there is the rabbits....we have chase them off too. It reminded me of this passage in James where we are reminded to keep the moral filth and evil out our lives. We have to ward off so much.

I am also reminded that the Word (Jesus) is planted in our hearts and He is growing in us. Jesus in our lives brings about a disciplined harvest of love, compassion, and humility. We are transformed from glory to glory. He is more prevalent and I am less visible. The old nature of Don Crane is sacrificed to a better and more productive life of service and action. As I feel this peace planted in my heart, I can hear Jesus say, "O.K. lets go and give these to the Father."

You know I love ya, - Don

The Lord...give you Peace!

Ancient Israel greatly treasured the shalom of the Lord. Most often, we translate this word as "peace." It encompassed more than the end of anger between warring nations or tribes. "Shalom" conveyed the idea of total well-being. This peace anchored itself in the security of complete acceptance and pardon from God.

Shalom is knowing the smile and welcoming open arms of His love. It is the total foundation of the Christ-followers life. It is our stronghold of everything we stand for in Christendom. It is the results from a crucified and resurrected Lord. It is peace!

Secure in Jesus is to enjoy all the other blessings too:
1. A Calm Mind and Confident Heart.
2. Friend and family to love and receive love.
3. A good reputation.
4. Provision from God in all we need.
5. The lack of worry.
6. Healthy Eternity.
7. Opportunities to contribute meaningfully in lives.
8. Love when we are not deserving.

Jesus Christ is our shalom! Shalom to you and you know I love ya - Don

Gain Peace and Maintain IT!

With all the crisis in the world, I could not help but think, how does anyone gain and maintain peace? The answer is found in Isaiah 26:3, "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." That's how we gain and maintain peace...by leaning on and fixing our thoughts on God.

The truth is, you and I are leaning on and fixing out thoughts on God or something else. When our minds are focused on ourselves, our situations, or anything other than God, a thankful and peaceful heart will always be out of reach....BUT when we fix our thoughts on God, His Son, and ALLOW His Spirit to guide us...it is then that we are able to filter our feelings and experiences through His unchanging Truth.

This life is only a journey to the next. For the Christ-follower the next life is more than we can ever imagine, therefore we make it our goal to please Him in this life and focus our attention off of this world and the things that take away our peace fade in glory of eternity with Jesus.
Maintain Peace and You know I love ya - Don

Peace!

Peace with God grants a Christ-follower these five action points:

P – Purpose – When a believer grasps the truth of Jesus Christ in Passover, we gain a new purpose. We have direction to the Promised Land. Have a certain hope and a confident future. We have purpose in Christ Jesus.

E – Exit (Exodus) - As believers in the Messiah, we have an exit from Sin. We are no longer slaves to sin. Paul writes in Romans 6:6, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—.”

A – Assurance – The Christ follower has a new assurance. “Blessed assurance Jesus is mine, oh what a foretaste of glory divine. Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.” We have assurance of God’s power.

C – Confidence - There is a new confidence that is gained through the Messiah, much like Simeon’s confidence (Luke 2). I can die in peace because of Jesus. There is no longer any need to search out the unleven bread, it has arrived and is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

E – Empowerment that comes from Emmanuel (God with Us) - On the night Jesus was betrayed they celebrated Passover. He took the third cup, the Cup of Redemption, and after giving thanks, He said, "take and drink. This is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of Me." Jesus is Emmanuel, God with Us, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

Jesus is the prince of Peace and allows us to have a restored relationship with our Creator. He came as a baby to live a life with out sin... then He freely gave His life to be our payment for the wrong in this world and the sin in our lives.

Have a great Monday and ponder these things. It will change your life. It has mine - you know I love ya, Don