King of kings, Lord of lords

The gospel message, according to the Christian church, is the story of Jesus and his free gift of salvation to all who believe in him as savior and call upon his name in repentance for the remission of sins. Following their conversion, believers have a deep desire to minister the message of salvation to others, that they too may experience this saving grace and the fellowship of the brethren. The death, burial and resurrection of our LORD is truly the greatest event in the history of the world to date. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures".  He is indeed the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

The message, however, does not stop there. At his first coming to earth to take flesh upon him and tabernacle with men, he  fulfilled the prophecies concerning the suffering servant, the sinless lamb of God who willingly laid down his life for his creation, who bore in his own body the penalty for our transgressions. He came to break the bondage of sin that held us captive in it's grasp, to be the mediator between God and man, for he was the Son of God and the son of man. However, he will once again come to earth to fulfill the prophecies concerning his reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. I believe that Christianity has, for the most part, failed in it's understanding of the significance of that day yet in the future.

Our LORD is no longer a babe in a manger or the suffering servant who died for our sins. He is seated at the right hand of the Father on high, where he has received all power and authority in heaven and on earth. The second time he returns to this earth, it will be as reigning King to establish the Kingdom of God and lay down the rules of the Kingdom. Many who have been taught that those rules no longer apply or have been nailed to the cross at his crucifixion will have a rude awakening when they stand before the judgment seat of the Almighty. 

The "gospel" Jesus brought during his first coming was not about himself, but about the Kingdom of heaven. Everywhere he went throughout Judea and the Galilee, we are told that he taught the people concerning the gospel of the Kingdom. Fifty-four times in Matthew's gospel alone, his message was  the Kingdom. Matthew understood the prophecy of old. Jeremiah 23:5 "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." The parables in Luke's gospel were teachings on the Kingdom. The apostle Paul, in his letters, often spoke of the Kingdom. The gospel of the entire New Testament was primarily that of the Kingdom of God. Yet the message of the Church remains one  about Jesus rather than what he taught. He is accepted as savior but rarely, if at all, as our Lord or master, the one whom we are commanded to obey.

Do we even have any concept of who Jesus is today? The apostle John, while exiled on the Isle of Patmos, was transported by the Spirit unto the future Day of the Lord. He heard a voice behind him as the sound of a trumpet. He turned and beheld the glorified Jesus standing before him amidst seven golden candlesticks. The sight was so awesome and fearful that John fell as a dead man at his feet. He wasn't looking at a baby in a manger or a suffering messiah, but the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, a King of such mind-numbing majesty that words failed him, as it would us as well.

Revelation 1:13-16 "And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength."

I believe, if the Church could get even a small glimpse of their savior as a ruling King on the throne of his glory, as was revealed to John, there would be an awakening and a revival such as the world has never seen. One day we will honor him as King of kings and Lord of lords and every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that he is LORD!

Peace in the Storm

(NOTE: This is a reprint of a post I wrote on 9/7/15, that was accidentally deleted)

It's one thing to say prayer changes things, but another altogether to stand on that affirmation when the going gets rough. Prayer is not something we put on like clothes. A better analogy would be armor. An even better would be skin. Life brings with it many challenges, but God is sufficient to meet them all. It's easy to say that when it's someone else fighting the battle, but not so much when we are the one under attack. Prayer can be far from our lips when we are the one facing the enemy.

Enemies abound, both physical and spiritual. We encounter them each and every day. Some of us may be facing huge challenges at this moment from any number of events. However, it's not the challenges that do us in; illness, financial difficulties, family disputes, etc. It's the inability we seem to have in these moments to keep the faith, to pray to the only One who can change things. He is our strength, our rock, our fortress, our high tower. If we will turn to Him in our hour of need, He will hide us under the shadow of His wings.

I heard a story recently about a contest. The participants were told to paint a picture of the most peaceful scene they could think of. Of course, most of the entries were of beaches, meadows, beautiful mountain scenes, fields of wildflowers. The winning entry, however, was of a raging storm replete with lightning and thunder, heavy rain and high winds. In the corner of this picture was a small cleft in the side of a mountain where a mother bird sat peacefully with her babies tucked safely under her wings.

That is what real faith is all about. It's not the absence of the storm, but the peace that God gives in the midst of it. May He grant peace to each of us as we face the storms in our lives.

Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (NKJV)

Lost in the Forest

(NOTE: This is a reprint of a post I wrote on 9/7/15 that was accidentally deleted)

Today I ran across something I wrote on February 11, 2014, following a dry season in my life. It bears repeating in hopes that it helps someone today who may be going through their own dark season.

"As my spiritual armor lay scattered before me on the floor, I succumbed to the reality. Accepting the futility of walking in circles, I retreated to my bedroom. Words were not necessary. God knew my plight. I needed his direction. I needed him to be my compass. Suddenly my attention was drawn to a book on my bookshelf, a Daily Guideposts. It was from 2012, but for some reason I felt led to pick it up and read the post from February 10th. The title for that day was "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" and the scripture reading was from Psalms 40:1. "I waited patiently for the Lord; And he inclined to me and heard my cry."

At that moment I knew that I would once again find the light, as I had so many times before. Although the forest is dark and foreboding, trees looming high above, pathless in every direction, there is a way out. My savior is the light. He is the way, the truth and the life.

In my darkest hours I have always found his outstretched hand reaching out to me, leading me into the light. I've also experienced something very powerful each and every time. I come out of the blackness stronger and more committed, with a deeper abiding faith, a greater understanding of his marvelous grace and mercy. I've learned through the years, when I find myself once again lost in that black forest, not to wander there aimlessly too long, but to scan the darkness for that outstretched hand that will lead me home.

A Leap of Faith

(NOTE: This is a reprint from a post I wrote on 1/13/16 that was accidentally deleted)

"Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith", author Margaret Shepard.

The above quote brings so many thoughts to my mind. As I look back over the years, what a life I have led! I've had more ups and downs than a yo-yo, that's for sure. One thing I've had to face about myself is that I've always been a big dreamer. I'm the queen of dreams, hopes, wishes, and prayers. Until I learned, though, to add real action-packed faith to those desires, I was destined to spend the rest of my life just dreaming, hoping, wishing and praying.

As I think back, I can't remember one time that a realized dream was not preceded by an act of faith on my part, I mean a “leaping into thin air” action. Until I was able to move, jump, walk, run or leap toward my desire, it lay as lifeless as a seed on the ground. We all know that a seed cannot become it's built-in intended purpose unless it is planted. Well, that works for people too. We each have a purpose to fulfill, but like that seed, we will never see our true worth or potential by just laying there wishing. God is the creator of all things and He is the one who has designed a purpose for each of His creations. However, everything comes into existence through struggle. That seed must struggle to exit the earth, birds must break out of their shell, the caterpillar out of his cocoon, and a baby out of its mother's womb. Every hope or dream we have lies as dormant as that seemingly lifeless seed until it is planted in faith and nurtured by action of some kind. Only then can it produce the desired result. Intention must be born of action.

It’s up to each of us to use our opportunities and nurture our talents to realize our potential, giving birth to those hopes and dreams that otherwise would lay dormant in our hearts. Then we need to encourage others and help them fulfill their own potential as well. Many of the people we rub shoulders with each and every day are dealing with enormous pressures. They have unrealized hopes and dreams and they pray for a way out. They look for that light at the end of the tunnel but wake up every day to the same darkness they lay down with the night before. We are our brother's keeper and we all have a responsibility to share our light with them. If you have been blessed, if you have experienced the answer to prayer, if you have leaped into thin air and found waiting arms that caught you and lifted you up, please share with others. Give someone else the faith that they too can move the mountains in their life, that they can plant that faith and experience the joy and beauty of becoming the unique and awesome person they were always meant to be.

The Vineyard

The two passages below, one in Isaiah and the other in Matthew, portray Israel as the vineyard of Yehovah. They both allude to, in parable form, the story of our heavenly Father planting a vineyard (Israel) in a beautiful land. He provided everything needed for them to produce spiritual fruit.

Isa 5:1-7 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:  And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:  And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

 Mt 21:33-43 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

These passages may speak of a nation, the nation of Israel, but they also speak to me as an individual. I believe, that as a child, my Father was preparing the soil of my heart for His word. Although I was not aware of it at the time, I can now look back and see His  work in my life. I can remember specific incidents which speak to His calling upon me. When it was time for Him to sow the seed of His word in my heart, I was able to receive it gladly. Much like the vineyard in the previous two passages, He chose me as a goodly place to plant His word. He cleaned me up, placed a fence of protection around me, removed anything that might inhibit my growth. He nurtured  me like a precious plant and provided everything I needed to be fruitful.

More amazing, this word that was sown into my heart was the very WORD of God, my savior and LORD, Yeshua.

In John 15:1 he tells us, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman."

Also in verses 4-5, we read, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

If I continue to let him abide in me and I in him, I will produce fruit fit for the kingdom. He will live his life in me if I will yield myself to the master's hand, if I will allow the husbandman to cultivate and prune and shape my life according to His plan for me.