Pilate set Barabbas and Jesus before the religious leaders and their followers. Never mind justice! Let the lynch mob decide! The people were stirred up against Jesus. Jesus had healed their sick. He had fed their hungry. He had told them about the Kingdom of God. Barabbas, on the other hand, stood for violence and rebellion. Barabbas was the devil incarnate. Who would the people choose?
Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
Pilate knew that the chief priests had betrayed Jesus out of envy.
Pilate asked them, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
They cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
Pilate asked them, “Why, what evil has He done?”
They cried out all-the-more, “Crucify Him!”
“So, Pilate, wanting to please the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.” [1]
Barabbas and the collective consensus of the crowd or Jesus?
The Apostle Paul was in prison for the Christian faith when he wrote, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” [2]
Paul wanted to “know Christ and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” For what? So, he could take part in Christ’s resurrection. [3]
The resurrection from the dead to an eternal heavenly reward is of much more value than having governmental and crowd approval.
“Holy Spirit, please empower us to be witnesses for Christ regardless of the suffering that we may experience. Please don’t ever let the shouts of pain in our ears ever become louder than the choruses of hallelujahs from heaven’s distant shores. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.”
[1] Mark 15:6-10
[2] Philippians 3:7-8
[3] Philippians 3:10-11
Bearing witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus!
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Saturday, May 26, 2018
Rejoicing In The Lord
God’s presence among His people is His witness to the world.
“May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.” [1]
The Lord beautifies His people with grace.
“The Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.” [2]
Our response is to speak to others about the lover of our souls: Jesus Christ.
“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” [3]
[1] 1 Kings 8:57, 60
[2] Psalm 149:4
[3] Philippians 1:18
“May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.” [1]
The Lord beautifies His people with grace.
“The Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.” [2]
Our response is to speak to others about the lover of our souls: Jesus Christ.
“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” [3]
[1] 1 Kings 8:57, 60
[2] Psalm 149:4
[3] Philippians 1:18
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Joy In The Holy Spirit
“The Spirit helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” [1]
“The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” [2]
“The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.” [3]
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” [4]
“Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!” [5]
[1] Romans 8:26
[2] Romans 14:17
[3] Ephesians 5:9
[4] Romans 15:13
[5] Psalm 144:15
“The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” [2]
“The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.” [3]
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” [4]
“Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!” [5]
[1] Romans 8:26
[2] Romans 14:17
[3] Ephesians 5:9
[4] Romans 15:13
[5] Psalm 144:15
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Walking In The Spirit
“You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” [1]
Don’t try to serve God in your own strength. Eagerly wait for the hope of God’s righteousness being brought to light to those around you by the Holy Spirit. By faith – trust in God to show up.
I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” [2]
The key to walking as Jesus walked is to be filled and overflowing with the Holy Spirit. Even Jesus testified to His hometown folks that was God’s Spirit that anointed Him to do the works of God. [3] Jesus casted out evil spirits by the Spirit of God. [4]
“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” [5]
We don’t want to go around flexing our muscles like some kind of victorious sports figure. Pride leads to a fall. We want to be humble. God gives grace to the humble. [6] We want to walk in a demonstration of power by the Holy Spirit.
[1] Galatians 5:4-5
[2] Galatians 5:16-17
[3] Luke 4:18
[4] Matthew 12:27
[5] Galatians 5:24-25
[6] 1 Peter 5:5
Don’t try to serve God in your own strength. Eagerly wait for the hope of God’s righteousness being brought to light to those around you by the Holy Spirit. By faith – trust in God to show up.
I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” [2]
The key to walking as Jesus walked is to be filled and overflowing with the Holy Spirit. Even Jesus testified to His hometown folks that was God’s Spirit that anointed Him to do the works of God. [3] Jesus casted out evil spirits by the Spirit of God. [4]
“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” [5]
We don’t want to go around flexing our muscles like some kind of victorious sports figure. Pride leads to a fall. We want to be humble. God gives grace to the humble. [6] We want to walk in a demonstration of power by the Holy Spirit.
[1] Galatians 5:4-5
[2] Galatians 5:16-17
[3] Luke 4:18
[4] Matthew 12:27
[5] Galatians 5:24-25
[6] 1 Peter 5:5
Monday, May 14, 2018
Heirs of God through Faith in Christ
“Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’
Therefore, know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
So, then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
‘The just shall live by faith.’
We receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” [1]
Faith in God is the link between us and Him. The law points to our need to receive righteousness from God to be in a right standing with God. All that came before Christ was to prepare for us His arrival, and then, to be heirs of His heavenly kingdom.
[1] Galatians 3:6-7,9 11, 14, 24, 26, 29
Therefore, know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
So, then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
‘The just shall live by faith.’
We receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” [1]
Faith in God is the link between us and Him. The law points to our need to receive righteousness from God to be in a right standing with God. All that came before Christ was to prepare for us His arrival, and then, to be heirs of His heavenly kingdom.
[1] Galatians 3:6-7,9 11, 14, 24, 26, 29
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Tamrat’s Life was Transformed by Jesus
Tamrat was a guerrilla fighter for the communist party in Ethiopia. He ended up in prison. He tried to end his life twice. Jesus appeared to him while he was in prison. He felt his life was worthless, but then, the Son of God, appeared to him and asked him to follow Him. Jesus appeared to Tamrat a second time and that is when he acknowledged Christ as his Lord and Savior.
After Christ converted him, he received his first Bible. He was told to start his Bible reading adventure with the Gospel of John, but he opened his Bible and the read the first verse his eyes fell upon, and that verse was Psalm 119:67: “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your word.”
The Lord has taken Tamrat to 32 states and over 40 countries since his conversion. His life was transformed by Jesus.
After Christ converted him, he received his first Bible. He was told to start his Bible reading adventure with the Gospel of John, but he opened his Bible and the read the first verse his eyes fell upon, and that verse was Psalm 119:67: “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your word.”
The Lord has taken Tamrat to 32 states and over 40 countries since his conversion. His life was transformed by Jesus.
Friday, May 11, 2018
The Divinity of Christ and His Saving Grace
In his letter to the Christians in Galatia, Paul wrote that his apostleship was not from or through man but through Jesus Christ and God the Father. Thus, he placed Christ on equal status with God the Father. “Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead)” [1]
He named Christ as Deliver when he wrote, “Christ gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age...” [2]
He declared Christ divine when he wrote, “The Gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” [3]
Jesus Christ is more than a man. He is the Son of God. He is Emmanuel. God with us!
Christ revealed Himself to Paul for the sake of saving him from his sins and to call Paul to be his ambassador to the world. Paul wrote…
“For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles…” [4]
Paul was against Christ and Christians, that is, until Christ revealed Himself to Paul. After that divine encounter, Paul, a Hebrew of Hebrews, preached the Gospel to the Gentiles (the non-Jews). He was a different man with a different purpose.
People were saying, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” [5]
I praise God for His grace. Christ is still revealing Himself to unworthy sinners and calling us to be His messengers today. To God be the glory!
[1] Galatians 1:1
[2] Galatians 1:4
[3] Galatians 1:11-12
[4] Galatians 1:13-16
[5] Galatians 1:23
He named Christ as Deliver when he wrote, “Christ gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age...” [2]
He declared Christ divine when he wrote, “The Gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” [3]
Jesus Christ is more than a man. He is the Son of God. He is Emmanuel. God with us!
Christ revealed Himself to Paul for the sake of saving him from his sins and to call Paul to be his ambassador to the world. Paul wrote…
“For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles…” [4]
Paul was against Christ and Christians, that is, until Christ revealed Himself to Paul. After that divine encounter, Paul, a Hebrew of Hebrews, preached the Gospel to the Gentiles (the non-Jews). He was a different man with a different purpose.
People were saying, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” [5]
I praise God for His grace. Christ is still revealing Himself to unworthy sinners and calling us to be His messengers today. To God be the glory!
[1] Galatians 1:1
[2] Galatians 1:4
[3] Galatians 1:11-12
[4] Galatians 1:13-16
[5] Galatians 1:23
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
The Difficult but Divine Mission
“I [Jesus] say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” [1]
It goes against the grain of human nature to love people who curse you, hate you, spitefully use you and persecute you. A hurtful word and a nasty betrayal can cause much agony in a good person's heart. How can any human love someone who purposely tries to hurt them?
Recently, I have been reading about David in the Bible. God called David a man after his own heart. David treated his enemy Saul well. Saul believed and propagated false accusations against David. He had his 3,000 best soldiers searching to destroy David. On two occasions, David had opportunities to kill Saul, but abstained from doing so. In this regard, David was perfect like his Father in heaven. Even after Saul died in battle, David spoke well of him. This is where David demonstrated his love for God, not any god, but the God whose Son died on the cross for evil people. David’s treatment of Saul was God’s sunshine and God’s rain on an unjust and evil man.
As we pursue life, liberty, and happiness, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us exude Christlikeness in a world that is unlike Christ. Christ will help us. Lives will be transformed! Including our own! To God be the glory!
[1] Matthew 5:44-48
It goes against the grain of human nature to love people who curse you, hate you, spitefully use you and persecute you. A hurtful word and a nasty betrayal can cause much agony in a good person's heart. How can any human love someone who purposely tries to hurt them?
Recently, I have been reading about David in the Bible. God called David a man after his own heart. David treated his enemy Saul well. Saul believed and propagated false accusations against David. He had his 3,000 best soldiers searching to destroy David. On two occasions, David had opportunities to kill Saul, but abstained from doing so. In this regard, David was perfect like his Father in heaven. Even after Saul died in battle, David spoke well of him. This is where David demonstrated his love for God, not any god, but the God whose Son died on the cross for evil people. David’s treatment of Saul was God’s sunshine and God’s rain on an unjust and evil man.
As we pursue life, liberty, and happiness, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us exude Christlikeness in a world that is unlike Christ. Christ will help us. Lives will be transformed! Including our own! To God be the glory!
[1] Matthew 5:44-48
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Love & Forgiveness
David heard that the Philistines were attacking and robbing the people of Keilah. He asked the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” The Lord said to him, “Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.” [1]
David and his men struck the Philistines with a mighty blow and saved the people of Keilah. [2]
After that, David heard that King Saul was coming to attack him. So, he asked the Lord, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand?” The Lord replied, “They will deliver [betray] you.” [3]
They were ready to betray David after he delivered them from their enemies. How did he feel about that? Was he bitter? Was he angry?
Well, thanks to the Lord, he escaped from Saul.
Saul and his army continued to pursue David.
The Lord sent Jonathan, Saul’s son, to find David and strengthen him in God. Jonathan said to David, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you.” [4]
Saul had 3,000 elite soldiers searching to destroy David. But what happened next? Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. David and his men were hiding in the recesses of that [big] cave. David’s men urged him to kill Saul, but David only stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. [5]
After Saul left the cave and was a healthy distance away, David called out to him and said, “The Lord delivered you today into my hand… someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you. …See that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. …Therefore, let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.”
Saul wept. He said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. …The Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. …May the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.
Saul went home. David and his men went up to the stronghold. [6]
After reading this story, I thought of how Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ. Jesus even urged Judas, saying to him, “What you do, do quickly.” [7] Jesus knew that God His Father would show the world through something so evil as betrayal, something so evil as the death of an innocent man, that He was indeed God’s Son… The Savior of the world.
Jesus set for us an example of loving His enemies and praying for them. While on the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” [8]
“Lord Jesus, please empower us by Your Spirit to forgive and love people always.”
[1] 1 Samuel 23:1-2
[2] 1 Samuel 23:5
[3] 1 Samuel 23:10-12
[4] 1 Samuel 23:16
[5] 1 Samuel 24:1-5
[6] 1 Samuel 24:16-22
[7] John 13:27
[8] Luke 23:34
David and his men struck the Philistines with a mighty blow and saved the people of Keilah. [2]
After that, David heard that King Saul was coming to attack him. So, he asked the Lord, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand?” The Lord replied, “They will deliver [betray] you.” [3]
They were ready to betray David after he delivered them from their enemies. How did he feel about that? Was he bitter? Was he angry?
Well, thanks to the Lord, he escaped from Saul.
Saul and his army continued to pursue David.
The Lord sent Jonathan, Saul’s son, to find David and strengthen him in God. Jonathan said to David, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you.” [4]
Saul had 3,000 elite soldiers searching to destroy David. But what happened next? Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. David and his men were hiding in the recesses of that [big] cave. David’s men urged him to kill Saul, but David only stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. [5]
After Saul left the cave and was a healthy distance away, David called out to him and said, “The Lord delivered you today into my hand… someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you. …See that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. …Therefore, let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.”
Saul wept. He said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. …The Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. …May the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.
Saul went home. David and his men went up to the stronghold. [6]
After reading this story, I thought of how Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ. Jesus even urged Judas, saying to him, “What you do, do quickly.” [7] Jesus knew that God His Father would show the world through something so evil as betrayal, something so evil as the death of an innocent man, that He was indeed God’s Son… The Savior of the world.
Jesus set for us an example of loving His enemies and praying for them. While on the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” [8]
“Lord Jesus, please empower us by Your Spirit to forgive and love people always.”
[1] 1 Samuel 23:1-2
[2] 1 Samuel 23:5
[3] 1 Samuel 23:10-12
[4] 1 Samuel 23:16
[5] 1 Samuel 24:1-5
[6] 1 Samuel 24:16-22
[7] John 13:27
[8] Luke 23:34
Monday, May 7, 2018
Deliver Us From Evil
I had a dream this morning. I was telling a bank teller of Chinese descent about Jesus. He listened and believed. Then, he asked me, “What’s the difference between America [persecution of Christians] and China?” Before I could answer him, the sound of gunfire rang out. He was shot and killed. A gunman was being demonically directed to kill Christians. I had to take cover and ask the Lord to divinely intervene. That was where my dream ended. Thankfully, he believed in Christ before he died.
The killing of Christians happens both in China and America. Although the US government is not currently targeting Christians for extermination, we do have people in the US who enter churches and Christian schools for the purpose of mass killing Christians.
Once, evil King Saul massacred a village of priests. “Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, ‘Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.’ But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the Lord. And the king said to Doeg, ‘You turn and kill the priests!’ So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod. Also, Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep—with the edge of the sword.” [1]
King Saul was demonically directed to have 85 priests and their families executed.
They are eternally with the Lord now.
As I considered the devil’s war on Christians, the following Bible verse came to mind:
“And they overcame him [that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” [2]
“Holy Spirit, please lead us away from evil, and if evil should come upon us suddenly, please grant us the courage to be witnesses for Jesus in that moment. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.”
[1] 1 Samuel 22:17-19
[2] Revelation 12:11
The killing of Christians happens both in China and America. Although the US government is not currently targeting Christians for extermination, we do have people in the US who enter churches and Christian schools for the purpose of mass killing Christians.
Once, evil King Saul massacred a village of priests. “Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, ‘Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.’ But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the Lord. And the king said to Doeg, ‘You turn and kill the priests!’ So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod. Also, Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep—with the edge of the sword.” [1]
King Saul was demonically directed to have 85 priests and their families executed.
They are eternally with the Lord now.
As I considered the devil’s war on Christians, the following Bible verse came to mind:
“And they overcame him [that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” [2]
“Holy Spirit, please lead us away from evil, and if evil should come upon us suddenly, please grant us the courage to be witnesses for Jesus in that moment. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.”
[1] 1 Samuel 22:17-19
[2] Revelation 12:11
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