Category Archives: Calvary

Protect

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It’s #FiveMinuteFriday and I am sooooo glad to be back! We moved to Tennessee June 8 but were stuck at our son and dil’s home for three solid weeks with unexpected delays at our new place. We finally moved in this week but we have NO INTERNET so this morning, in order to post this blurb and catch up on some other things, I am forcing myself to sit at Starbucks at six a.m. Somebody has to do it. Enjoy this take on the word, Protect and find others writing on the same subject here.

The name Angelica Figueroa Guerrero might not mean anything to you but she died doing something few others have done. This 39 year old mother shielded her 15 year old daughter in a bathtub, laid right on top of her, protecting her from a tornado that ultimately struck their home. Her daughter survived but Angelica did not. She gave her life for one she loved.

The Bible tells us there is no greater love than to lay down your life for another! Angelica’s story helped me see Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus could have called 10,000 angels to come and save Him from the cross at Calvary. But He didn’t. He gave His life willingly and He suffered, willingly. He threw Himself down over His children, not beside them to shield them a little bit, but He shielded us with His spirit, covering us with His own blood! If that isn’t love….what is?

Why did He do it?

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Because He was protecting His children. He knew the tornado’s in our lives would threaten us, scare us, torment us and take us down without His sacrifice. But if He gave the ultimate protection, His life, then we would have eternal life and the infilling of His spirit with us at all times as protection, a covering, from the evils of this world.

Is everyone always protected? No, it is true sometimes bad things happen to good people and bad things happen to God’s people. But that is where the really beautiful part comes in to play. Even if we think the battle was lost, it was not. If Angelica Guerrero knew Jesus, she didn’t die in vain. Her reward was not in this life anyway. Her story serves as an example of courage, sacrifice and love. Our struggles are an encouragement to others and to ourselves!

Jesus WILL show up when you need protection the most. He will either carry you THROUGH the trial, or He can REMOVE the trial from you, or if He decides it is best, TAKE you on to glory and the reward that we live for our entire lives.

What do you need protection from today? God is more than able to help, call on His name!

Can you BE that protection for someone else? Do they need someone to step in and be Jesus to them today? Don’t let the opportunity pass you by.

For the Kingdom

 

A plea to the desperate

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“I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone. It’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone.” ~ Robin Williams

Sometimes the impact of LIFE hits hard. I spent the last two days in Catania, Sicily with The Sweetheart. The sweet missionaries we are staying with encouraged us to take a short trip to Sicily, it is so close to Malta, flights are cheap and it only takes 40 minutes to get there. We had hoped to meet up with some national pastors but their schedule didn’t work out this time. But we prayed we would be able to do more than just sight-see and God made a way for us to witness for His name (I’ll share that story soon!) and intercede in a desperate situation. This is a plea to the desperate.

Catania sits at the bottom of Mt. Etna and right on the Iconian Sea. The beauty is unsurpassed friends, it is breathtaking.

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We made a trek up to Mt. Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. In the late 1600’s, the city of Catania was nearly wiped out by a volcanic eruption that took 16,000 of the 20,000 living in the city! We took a tour bus to the top, about 1 ½ hours straight up. I will write about that in a day or two…pictures are AH-MAZ-ING!

 Back on the ground the next morning we witnessed something entirely opposite.

Heading down Via Etnea, the main thoroughfare through Catania, we came upon a large gathering of people all looking upward and we were trying hard to focus on what had grabbed their attention.

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Then we saw him.

Dangling on a pedestal on top of a roof, four stories high, was a young, teenage boy about to take his own life. (You can see him at the very top, on the middle limestone pedestal with his leg hanging over the side.)

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We could see he was desperate, he kept motioning for those that were trying to talk him down to get back or he would jump.

I have never witnessed anything of this nature and The Sweetheart kept saying, “Let’s go, let’s just go, you don’t want this scene in your mind the rest of your life.” He was a nervous wreck but yet we knew we had to pray. Someone had to pray!!

We began to intercede for this young man, praying in the Holy Ghost and asking God to intervene on His behalf. There was no net, no fire department to help as of yet. Friends, it was intense.

What makes a soul so desperate to leave this earthly life?

This is the way of the lost soul. The soul without Jesus Christ. There is desperation, there is extreme anxiety and frustration. To them, there is nothing that will make it better; nothing you can do or say that will ease their hurt and anger. You can make no promise that they will believe.

The world is in turmoil. There is fear on every hand; threats of war, famine, unemployment, hunger, drought, and of course ISIS. It is real around the world, not just in places like Italy, Malta, South African and Libya. This danger is global and getting worse.

No wonder people who have no hope are intimidated by the enemy into thinking that suicide is their only recourse! The devil wants to put desperation and fear into every heart that will listen and then he stands there, ready to push them over the edge where we know, and he knows, is everlasting darkness.

We must rescue, we must intercede!

Watching this scene unfold before us, and praying as hard as we have ever prayed in our lives, a policeman and another unidentified man had crept up to the floor just below the young man. He could not see them since he was perched on this pedestal on his stomach with his legs dangling.

a plea to the desperateThe man you see in the blue t-shirt then jumped up to the ledge, risking his life for sure, and with all of his strength shoved the young man as hard as he could to the safety of the balcony.

And the crowd roars.

Are you feeling that desperation in your life at this moment? Have pressures from just trying to get by weighed you down so much that you see no way out? Friend, there is HOPE.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. “ 1 Peter 5:7.

Jesus Christ gave HIS LIFE so you wouldn’t ever have to take your own. When He died on Calvary’s cross, He did away with the need for sacrifice, He paid the price, the ultimate price for YOUR salvation and mine. Look at this promise He left with us:

“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24.

There is nothing in this life worth taking matters into your own hands in desperation. Jesus truly offers a way out; He is the way! He promises to never leave or forsake us even though times are difficult; they may prove discouraging, frustrating and just plain hard at times. Yet He promises to walk with us through EVERYTHING, bringing Hope, Peace and Comfort in our most challenging circumstances.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11.

Not only is there hope in this life but He offers eternal salvation and hope for eternity! Yes, things will get better even if it is not in this life. There is no peace that compares with the peace of God. It can carry you through ANYTHING!

“The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17.

He will quiet you with His love; bringing the security that you are desperately seeking.  And then…Hope for today and the promise of living with our Savior in perfect peace for all eternity.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:4. NLT

If you are desperate today, please feel welcome to email me if you need guidance to a Bible-believing church or need prayer. Reach out to family, friends or a pastor; someone who will help you find Hope in Jesus Christ. He loves you more than you can imagine and desires to set you free and give joy unspeakable in the midst of your trouble.

If you are struggling with believing you are forgiven, or feel as if you cannot come back to God, please read my post If God has Forgiven me, why can’t I Forgive Myself here.

 

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Today we are all Peter

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Easter. So much to so many. We are blessed, friends. So blessed if we know this King of Glory. If you are able to worship with others of like-precious faith today? You are blessed! Let us not take it for granted, but let us be forever grateful and take time to worship the ONE, Christ Jesus, who gave His life for us. You can read the rest of this week’s Holy Week posts here: Hosanna, Hanging on His Every Word, Put Away Your Sword , He Lives, What did Jesus do on Thursday?, Friday is Good and Make it as sure as you can. You have blessed me with your response and added thoughts!

It is hard to find a more impetuous man in the Bible than the apostle, Peter. As a  matter of fact, the synonyms for the word impetuous, describe him even better:
  • Impulsive, yet brave.  “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.” Matthew 4:18-20 NIV.
  • Hasty, yet protective. “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must…be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” Matthew 16:21-23.
  • Bold, but unthinking. “And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.” Luke 22:33, 34.
  • Courageous and spontaneous. “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.” Matthew 14:28-30.
There are more. So many more, but to compile all of his antics, heroics and corrections would take up too much space.
Peter is mentioned FIRST when the disciples are listed in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 10.

Yet he failed. Many times, he failed the Lord. Even up to the most critical hours before the crucifixion, Peter fails.

So it is with great significance that we read this passage in the Bible AFTER the crucifixion.
After the death of Jesus.
After “It is finished.”
“And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.’” Mark 16:5-7 NKJV.
Did you see it? “Go tell His disciples”, the man says, that Jesus is alive and going before you into Galilee.
Today we are all Peter

Oh, and tell Peter.

I am overwhelmed by the love shown by the Lord here!

Jesus knew the guilt that Peter was struggling with after his denial of Christ. Jesus knew that he would feel unworthy to come face to face with Him again.

He knew the enemy’s tactics.
You failed.
You’re finished.
You can’t find forgiveness again.
He doesn’t want you.
He doesn’t need you.
You. Are. Worthless.
But no, friend, that’s not where our Lord leaves Peter! Jesus has been pretty busy the last few hours. Let’s recount: He has hung on a cruel cross for what seemed like “forever”. He died an agonizing death that no one should ever suffer. Then, while Pilate and his buddies are plotting how to KEEP the King of the Jews in the grave, Jesus is out getting the keys to death, hell and the grave!

But Jesus, even with His schedule, and His mission, takes time to remember one brokenhearted soul.

He takes the time to make sure Peter knows He is forgiven.
He is loved.
He is remembered.
He is wanted.
He is even needed.

It doesn’t matter what you have done, Peter. It doesn’t matter how many times you failed me. I am not remembering your mistakes. I have come back to give you hope.

And a mission. Jesus had given Peter a mission. “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 
Peter spends the rest of his life preaching the Good News, the Gospel, that Jesus is alive! He has overcome the grave and we can too…through His blood that He shed on Calvary!
Peter preaches the first message of The Church in Acts 1 and 2 and 3,000 souls are filled with the Holy Ghost. He continues to share, and share, and share, until his words that one time cost him to weep bitterly, come back to him one more time.

“Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!”

 See, Peter died a martyr’s death. Whether he intended it or not, or remembered it, (although I would like to think he did when his time came) he received his chance to give his life for his Lord and Savior.
So friend, what is hindering you today? Have you failed at some point in your life?

So did Peter.

Have you stumbled, been broken, confused, hurt, betrayed, lied about, lied, and made so many mistakes you cannot remember them all?

So did Peter.

And the Lord took the time to single him out and say, “Hey, and be sure and tell Peter too. He would want to know I forgive him.” (my paraphrase)
Jesus remembers you today too.
You are the “why” on the cross.

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He paid it all so you would not have to. Accept that forgiveness today. Let Him in!
That message wasn’t just for Peter that day. It was for you too.

“Hey, be sure and tell __________ I’m alive. Forevermore.”

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